1.Effects of LOX-1 gene G501C variation on brain structural changes and cognitive function in patients with white matter hyperintensities
Yajun ZHOU ; Shujian CHEN ; Zhixin WANG ; Yayu WANG ; Chaojuan HUANG ; Xia ZHOU ; Xiaoqun ZHU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(3):562-568
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) gene G501C on brain structure and cognitive function in patients with white matter hyperintensities (WMH). MethodsA total of 118 patients with WMH were enrolled. All participants underwent T1-weighted and T2-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2-FLAIR) MRI to assess gray matter structure and WMH burden, and completed the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA). Partial correlation and mediation analyses were performed to explore the impact of LOX-1 polymorphism on cognitive function. ResultsParticipants were divided into GG+GC group (n = 35) and CC group (n = 83). The GG+GC group showed lower MMSE and MoCA scores (MMSE: P=0.003; MOCA: P=0.015), as well as greater WMH burden (all P0.001), compared with the CC group. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis revealed reduced left thalamic volume in the GG+GC group, which was correlated with cognitive scores (all P0.05). Subregional thalamic analysis further showed volume reductions in the lateral, ventral, medial, and pulvinar thalamic regions (all P0.05) in the GG+GC group, all positively associated with cognitive performance (all P0.05). Mediation analyses indicated that volumes of the medial and pulvinar thalamic regions mediated the association between genotype and cognitive function (MMSE, MoCA), and that WMH volume mediated the effect on MoCA scores. ConclusionThe LOX-1 G501C polymorphism may indirectly affect cognitive function by influencing specific thalamic subregional volumes and white matter damage, suggesting a potential mediating role of thalamic structures between genetic background and cognitive impairment.
2.Efficacy and Safety of Qixian Tongluo Formula in the Treatment of Post-Cerebral Infarction Paralysis with Kidney Deficiency and Blood Stasis Syndrome:A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial and Preliminary Exploration of miRNA Cross-Kingdom Regulation Mechanism
Shengqiang ZHOU ; Yanjun CHEN ; Guo MAO ; Wen ZENG ; Jia HUANG ; Zhixin LI ; Jintao XIAO ; Ruizhen WANG ; Lingjuan TAN ; Fang LIU
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(4):1120-1130
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Qixian Tongluo Formula in the treatment of post-cerebral infarction paralysis with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome,and to preliminarily explore the molecular mechanism of Qixian Tongluo Formula in improving impaired motor function from the perspective of cross-kingdom regulation of Chinese medicine microRNA(miRNA).Methods A pragmatic randomized controlled trial was conducted with 102 patients in the recovery period of post-cerebral infarction paralysis with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in our hospital.Patients were randomly divided into trial group and control group,with 51 cases in each group.The control group received standard Western medicine standard treatment,while the trial group received Qixian Tongluo Formula in addition to the standard treatment,with one dose per day,boiled in water,and taken warm after breakfast and dinner for a course of 2 months.The disability rate was used as the main efficacy indicator,and the incidence of adverse reactions was used as a safety indicator.miRNA from patient serum and Qixian Tongluo decoction were extracted respectively,and high-throughput sequencing was performed.The two sequences were compared to screen out the cross-kingdom gene transfer of Chinese medicine miRNA.Finally,its target genes of miRNA were predicted,and GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were carried out.Results A total of 67 patients completed the clinical trial,including 36 cases in the trial group and 31 cases in the control group;The disability rate in the trial group(13.9%)was lower than that in the control group(35.5%)(P<0.05);The incidence of adverse reactions was similar between the trial group(7.69%)and the control group(6.06%)(P>0.05);A total of 9530 Qixian Tongluo decoction miRNA sequences were screened,with 150 potentially involved in cross-kingdom gene transfer,including families such as miR-15 and miR-17;According to the target gene prediction of the top 10 miRNAs in cross-kingdom gene transfer of Chinese medicine,345 overlapping target genes were obtained;GO functional enrichment analysis revealed 16 biological processes,7 cellular components,and 2 molecular functions among the top 25 enriched functions,while KEGG pathway analysis mainly focused on the transforming growth factor-βsignaling pathway,neurotrophin signaling pathway,which are closely related to neural repair and functional recovery processes such as glial scar formation and synaptic plasticity after cerebral ischemia.Conclusion Qixian Tongluo Formula can significantly improve the functional independence level of patients with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in the recovery period of paralysis after cerebral infarction,offering a safe and effective treatment option for these patients;There were a large number of miRNAs in Qixian Tongluo decoction,some of which could cross-kingdom transferred into the human blood circulation,and promote the recovery of motor function in patients with cerebral infarction through multi-target,multi link and multi pathway gene network regulation.This study provides a new idea for subsequent clinical and basic research.
3.A Case Report of Jansen-de Vries Syndrome Caused by PPM1D Gene Mutation and Literature Review
Mei XUE ; Bo PANG ; Xiaoqian ZHANG ; Ziyu GAO ; Bo ZHOU ; Zhixin ZHANG
JOURNAL OF RARE DISEASES 2025;4(3):355-360
Jansen-de Vries syndrome, also known as intellectual developmental disorder with gastrointestinal difficulties and high pain threshold, is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by multisystem involvement. This article reports the case of a young child who presented with global developmental delay, gastrointestinal dysfunction, intellectual disability, and short stature. Distinct facial features included a broad forehead, low nasal bridge, thin upper lip, and widely spaced and misaligned teeth. Additional phenotypic findings involved small hands and feet, as well as digital anomalies. Through whole-exome sequencing (WES) and copy number variation (CNV) analysis, a pathogenic variant was identified in the
4.Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Zhixin YU ; Shaodong HONG ; Hui YU ; Xuanye ZHANG ; Zichun LI ; Ping CHEN ; Yixin ZHOU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(5):531-539
BACKGROUND:
The combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy (ICI + Chemo) shows promise in treatment of recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (RM-NPC), but some patients received limited benefit and the prognostic factors of the treatments remain unclear. Furthermore, ICIs efficacy in subsequent treatments needs further evaluation.
METHODS:
A systematic search on PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and major conference proceedings was conducted to identify relevant studies for meta-analysis. The study was designed to compare ICI + Chemo with chemotherapy in first-line treatment and identify efficacy predictors, and to evaluate ICIs alone in subsequent-line treatment for RM-NPC, with a focus on progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and treatment-related adverse events (AEs).
RESULTS:
Fifteen trials involving 1928 patients were included. Three trials compared ICI + Chemo with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment, while 12 trials evaluated ICIs alone in subsequent-line treatment of RM-NPC patients. First-line ICI + Chemo showed superior PFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43-0.63; P <0.001) and ORR (risk ratio [RR] = 1.14, 95% CI, 1.05-1.24; P <0.001) compared to chemotherapy, without increased AEs (RR = 1.01, 95% CI, 0.99-1.03; P = 0.481). Neither programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) nor other factors predicted the efficacy of ICI + Chemo vs . chemotherapy. Subsequent-line ICIs alone had a median PFS of 4.12 months (95% CI, 2.93-5.31 months), an ORR of 24% (95% CI, 20-28%), with grade 1-5/grade 3-5 AEs at 79%/14%. However, ICIs alone were associated with significantly shorter PFS (HR = 1.31, 95% CI, 1.01-1.68; P = 0.040) than chemotherapy alone.
CONCLUSIONS
ICI + Chemo confers superior survival benefits compared to chemotherapy in first-line RM-NPC treatment, independent of PD-L1 expression or other factors. However, ICIs alone demonstrate a manageable safety profile but do not surpass chemotherapy in efficacy for subsequent-line treatment.
Humans
;
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/adverse effects*
;
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/drug therapy*
;
Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/drug therapy*
;
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/drug therapy*
5.IDH3A Inhibits Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy via Elevating α-Ketoglutarate Level
Huayan WU ; Yihong WEN ; Hengli ZHAO ; Yuan GAO ; Chuanmeng ZHOU ; Ya WANG ; Jiening ZHU ; Zhixin SHAN
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2025;46(2):275-283
[Objective]To investigate the regulatory effect and potential mechanisms of isocitrate dehydrogenase 3A(IDH3A)on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.[Methods]The expression of IDH3A in the myocardium of healthy volunteers(n=10)and patients with heart failure(HF)(n=10),and in the myocardium of mice subjected to transverse aortic constriction(TAC)surgery and sham operation,as well as in phenylephrine(PE)-induced neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes(NRVCs),was assessed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and Western blot assay.The effect of adenovirus-mediated overexpression of IDH3A on the expression of hypertrophy-related genes in PE-induced NRVCs was also evaluated.The effect of IDH3A on NRVCs area was examined by phalloidin staining assay.A mutant of IDH3A with abolished enzymatic activity,IDH3A_D208A,was generated through site-directed mutagenesis.The impact of this IDH3A mutant on the hypertrophic phenotype,ATP and ROS levels in NRVCs was evaluated to investigate whether the regulatory role of IDH3A in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was dependent on its enzymatic activity.The effect of exogenous α-ketoglutaric acid(AKG)on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was also detected by Western blot and phalloidin staining assay,respectively.[Results]IDH3A was significantly decreased in the myocardium of HF patients,in the myocardium of TAC-operated mice,and in PE-induced NRVCs(P=0.005 2,P=0.026 6,P=0.041 3 and P=0.006 6,respectively).Overexpression of IDH3A markedly suppressed the expression of hypertrophy-related genes and the increase of cell size of PE-induced NRVCs(P<0.000 1,P=0.000 1 and P=0.000 2,respectively).The ATP and ROS analysis indicated that IDH3A inhibited the increases of ATP and ROS levels in PE-induced NRVCs(P=0.001 2 and P<0.000 1,respectively),whereas the enzymatically inactive IDH3A mutant lacked this effect.Exogenous AKG provision could,but overexpression of IDH3A mutant failed to suppress PE-induced NRVCs hypertrophy.[Conclusion]IDH3A inhibits cardiomyocyte hypertrophy via elevating AKG level,providing scientific evidence for study on IDH3A-based treatment of cardiac hypertrophy.
6.Recent advance in plasma biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease
Chinese Journal of Neuromedicine 2025;24(2):187-192
Alzheimer's disease (AD) stands as the most common neurodegenerative disorder among the elderly. Currently, there is a lack of effective methods for early diagnosis and intervention. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the study of plasma biomarkers in AD diagnosis. This article reviews the various types of AD plasma biomarkers and their influencing factors for detection, and their potential applications in early diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of AD, so as to develop a more accurate and convenient diagnostic method for AD.
7.Screening and preliminary evaluation of nanobodies targeting granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor
Jiao LIU ; Lei CHEN ; Hui QIN ; Qinlin KANG ; Gege LI ; Zhixin YANG ; Peng DU ; Chunyang ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(8):591-599
OBJECTIVE To screen and obtain nanobodies with neutralizing activity against granulo-cyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor(GM-CSF)to contribute to investigations into the mecha-nism of inflammation interventions and the development new drugs.METHODS Recombinant human GM-CSF was subcutaneously injected to immunize camels.Peripheral blood was collected after five immunizations,and mononuclear cells were isolated.Total mRNA was extracted,and the variable domains of the heavy chain of heavy-chain antibody(VHH,also called nanobody)genes were obtained by PCR amplification after reverse transcription.The genes were cloned into the pADSCFV-S phage display vector and electrotransformed into TG1 competent cells to construct a nanobody immune library that was screened with recombinant human GM-CSF immobilized on a solid phase.The VHH genes specifi-cally binding to human GM-CSF were cloned into the pABG eukaryotic expression vector before VHH-Fc samples were prepared by using the human embryonic kidney 293 fibroblast expression system.The binding activity of candidate VHH-Fc molecules to GM-CSF was investigated through ELISA response curves,and binding colorimetric values with different antigens were detected to determine their specificity.The binding affinity between VHH-Fc candidates and GM-CSF was measured using biolayer interferom-etry(BLI).The inhibition rate curve of VHH-Fc candidates on GM-CSF was detected through cell prolif-eration assays to determine its neutralization activity.The Uncle system was used to investigate its thermal stability.100 μg of VHH-Fc was injected into mice via the tail vein,and the serum concentration of VHH-Fc was quantitatively detected by ELISA to examine its pharmacokinetic curve in mice.RESULTS The camel serum titer of anti-human GM-CSF antibodies was higher than 1:800 000 after the fifth immuni-zation,and the capacity of the constructed nanobody library was about 5.55×107.Following the screening process,five candidate VHH-Fc molecules specifically binding to human GM-CSF were obtained.Among these,22N10 effectively neutralized the cell proliferation-promoting activity of GM-CSF(the IC50 value was 17.23 nmol·L-1).Subsequent studies revealed that 22N10 interacted with human GM-CSF with an affinity of 1.97×10-8 mol·L-1,blocked the binding of GM-CSF to its receptor CSF2Rα,exhibited good thermal stability(Tm1=59.2℃),and showed favorable metabolic characteristics in mice.CONCLU-SION A new candidate nanobody molecule 22N10 targeting human GM-CSF is obtained which is expected to facilitate the drug development and mechanism investigations.
8.Impact of postoperative complications on adverse outcomes following curative-intent resection for gallbladder cancer: a national multicenter real-world study
Zhipeng LIU ; Cheng CHEN ; Jie BAI ; Yan JIANG ; Dong ZHANG ; Wei GUO ; Zhixin WANG ; Xiang LAN ; Yufu YE ; Zhaoping WU ; Jinxue ZHOU ; Shuo JIN ; Yi ZHU ; Wei CHEN ; Dalong YIN ; Yao CHENG ; Haisu DAI ; Lei ZHANG ; Zhiyu CHEN
Chinese Journal of Digestive Surgery 2025;24(7):874-881
Objective:To investigate the impact of postoperative complications on adverse outcomes following curative-intent resection for gallbladder cancer (GBC).Methods:The multi-center real-world study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 629 patients with GBC, who were admitted to 14 medical centers including The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from the national multicenter database of Biliary Surgery Group of Elite Group of Chinese Journal of Digestive Surgery, from April 2020 to April 2024 were collected. There were 225 males and 404 females, aged (64±10)years. Patients underwent open curative-intent resection for GBC. Observation indicators: (1)surgery, postoperative complica-tions and adverse outcomes; (2) analysis of risk factors affecting postoperative adverse outcomes in patients and population attributable fraction (PAF). Missing data in predictor variables were addressed using multiple imputation with chained equations, while cases with missing outcome variables were addressed using the "multiple imputation then deletion (MID)" strategy. The severity of multicollinearity among independent variables was assessed using the variance inflation factor (VIF) test. Multivariable possion regression models with log link and robust error variance were construc-ted incorporating restricted cubic splines (3 knots) to address nonlinear relationships in continuous variables, calculating adjusted relative risk ( RR) with corresponding 95% confidence interval ( CI). Adjusted PAF was calculated for each imputed dataset using the AF package of R software, with subsequent pooling performed according to Rubin's rules. Results:(1) Surgery, postoperative complications and adverse outcomes. All 629 patients underwent curative-intent resection for GBC, of which 143 cases had postoperative complications, including 68 cases of intra-abdominal ascites, 39 cases of pulmonary infection, 21 cases of bile leakage, 12 cases of intra-abdominal hemorrhage, 11 cases of liver failure, 10 cases of pan-creatic fistula, 10 cases of wound infection, 10 cases of gastroparesis, 7 cases of cholangitis, 7 cases of sepsis. The same patient could have more than one kind of complication. Of 629 patients, there were 19 cases of postoperative 90-day death and 11 cases of missing data, 42 cases with post-operative 90-day reoperation and 7 cases with missing data, 44 cases with postoperative 90-day readmission and 3 cases with missing data, 155 cases with prolonged postoperative hospital stay and 3 cases with missing data. (2) Analysis of risk factors affecting the postoperative adverse outcomes in patients and PAF. Results of multivariate analysis showed that pulmonary infection and liver failure were independent risk factors for postoperative 90-day mortality ( RR=3.74, 12.15, 95% CI as 1.18-11.83, 1.98-74.48, P<0.05). Pulmonary infection demons-trated the highest PAF as 4.61% (95% CI as 3.94%-5.28%, P<0.05). Intra-abdominal ascites, pulmonary infection, bile leakage, and intra-abdominal hemorrhage were independent risk factors for post-operative 90-day reoperation ( RR=4.80, 3.62, 3.46, 4.99, 95% CI as 2.49-9.26, 1.42-9.21, 1.34-8.92, 1.55-16.06, P<0.05). Intra-abdominal ascites demonstrated the highest PAF as 8.65% (95% CI as 8.22%-9.08%, P<0.05). Intra-abdominal ascites, bile leakage, and liver failure were independent risk factors for postoperative 90-day readmission ( RR=6.20, 3.33, 14.33, 95% CI as 3.21-11.95, 1.33-8.35, 3.72-55.28, P<0.05). Intra-abdominal ascites demonstrated the highest PAF as 9.11% (95% CI as 8.85%-9.37%, P<0.05). Intra-abdominal ascites, pulmonary infection, bile leakage, liver failure, and wound infection were independent risk factors for prolonged postoperative hospital stay ( RR=2.29, 2.21, 2.26, 2.14, 3.35, 95% CI as 1.63-3.23, 1.41-3.46, 1.32-3.86, 1.11-4.13, 1.70-6.60, P<0.05). Intra-abdominal ascites demonstrated the highest PAF as 6.03% (95% CI as 5.71%-6.35%, P<0.05). Conclusion:Pulmonary infection is the most significant risk factor for postoperative 90-day mortality after curative-intent resection for GBC, while intra-abdominal ascites is the most significant risk factor for postoperative 90-day reoperation, postoperative 90-day readmission, and prolonged postoperative hospital stay.
9.Analysis of the Path to Improve the Efficiency of Medical Resource Allocation in Chinese Medicine Hospitals under the Perspective of fsQCA Configuration
Xueyun TIAN ; Zhixin WANG ; Yiru ZHOU ; Yan JIANG ; Liying ZHAO ; Jie ZHOU ; Zi YANG ; Xiaowei MAN
Chinese Hospital Management 2025;45(1):41-45
Objective To explore the optimisation path of medical resource allocation efficiency improvement in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospitals under the synergistic effect of multiple factors,so as to provide powerful support for the balanced development of medical resources in TCM hospitals.Methods The comprehensive efficiency of resource allocation in TCM hospitals in 31 provinces (cities and districts) of China obtained by Data Envelopment Analysis was taken as the outcome variable,and with the help of Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis,it examined the configurations of efficient medical resource allocation,considering the following conditional variables:per capital Regional GDP,the proportion of fiscal allocation revenue to total income,the ratio of TCM practicing (assistant) physicians to all practicing (assistant) physicians,the average length of hospital stay for discharged patients,the number of total diagnosis and treatments per thousand population,and the number of hospital beds per thousand population.Results By analyzing the conditional patterns of efficient allocation of medical resources in TCM hospitals,three equivalent driving paths can be summarized,which are comprehensive service capacity,TCM advantage and hospitalization driving paths.Conclusion The overall level of medical resource allocation efficiency of TCM hospitals in China needs to be improved.In the future,efforts should be made to improve the comprehensive service capacity and operational efficiency of hospitals,give full play to the advantages of TCM,build a high-quality TCM talent team,reasonably shorten the average hospital stay,and improve the utilization efficiency of hospital beds.
10.Efficacy and Safety of Qixian Tongluo Formula in the Treatment of Post-Cerebral Infarction Paralysis with Kidney Deficiency and Blood Stasis Syndrome:A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial and Preliminary Exploration of miRNA Cross-Kingdom Regulation Mechanism
Shengqiang ZHOU ; Yanjun CHEN ; Guo MAO ; Wen ZENG ; Jia HUANG ; Zhixin LI ; Jintao XIAO ; Ruizhen WANG ; Lingjuan TAN ; Fang LIU
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(4):1120-1130
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Qixian Tongluo Formula in the treatment of post-cerebral infarction paralysis with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome,and to preliminarily explore the molecular mechanism of Qixian Tongluo Formula in improving impaired motor function from the perspective of cross-kingdom regulation of Chinese medicine microRNA(miRNA).Methods A pragmatic randomized controlled trial was conducted with 102 patients in the recovery period of post-cerebral infarction paralysis with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in our hospital.Patients were randomly divided into trial group and control group,with 51 cases in each group.The control group received standard Western medicine standard treatment,while the trial group received Qixian Tongluo Formula in addition to the standard treatment,with one dose per day,boiled in water,and taken warm after breakfast and dinner for a course of 2 months.The disability rate was used as the main efficacy indicator,and the incidence of adverse reactions was used as a safety indicator.miRNA from patient serum and Qixian Tongluo decoction were extracted respectively,and high-throughput sequencing was performed.The two sequences were compared to screen out the cross-kingdom gene transfer of Chinese medicine miRNA.Finally,its target genes of miRNA were predicted,and GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were carried out.Results A total of 67 patients completed the clinical trial,including 36 cases in the trial group and 31 cases in the control group;The disability rate in the trial group(13.9%)was lower than that in the control group(35.5%)(P<0.05);The incidence of adverse reactions was similar between the trial group(7.69%)and the control group(6.06%)(P>0.05);A total of 9530 Qixian Tongluo decoction miRNA sequences were screened,with 150 potentially involved in cross-kingdom gene transfer,including families such as miR-15 and miR-17;According to the target gene prediction of the top 10 miRNAs in cross-kingdom gene transfer of Chinese medicine,345 overlapping target genes were obtained;GO functional enrichment analysis revealed 16 biological processes,7 cellular components,and 2 molecular functions among the top 25 enriched functions,while KEGG pathway analysis mainly focused on the transforming growth factor-βsignaling pathway,neurotrophin signaling pathway,which are closely related to neural repair and functional recovery processes such as glial scar formation and synaptic plasticity after cerebral ischemia.Conclusion Qixian Tongluo Formula can significantly improve the functional independence level of patients with kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in the recovery period of paralysis after cerebral infarction,offering a safe and effective treatment option for these patients;There were a large number of miRNAs in Qixian Tongluo decoction,some of which could cross-kingdom transferred into the human blood circulation,and promote the recovery of motor function in patients with cerebral infarction through multi-target,multi link and multi pathway gene network regulation.This study provides a new idea for subsequent clinical and basic research.

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