1.Single-cell transcriptomics identifies PDGFRA+ progenitors orchestrating angiogenesis and periodontal tissue regeneration.
Jianing LIU ; Junxi HE ; Ziqi ZHANG ; Lu LIU ; Yuan CAO ; Xiaohui ZHANG ; Xinyue CAI ; Xinyan LUO ; Xiao LEI ; Nan ZHANG ; Hao WANG ; Ji CHEN ; Peisheng LIU ; Jiongyi TIAN ; Jiexi LIU ; Yuru GAO ; Haokun XU ; Chao MA ; Shengfeng BAI ; Yubohan ZHANG ; Yan JIN ; Chenxi ZHENG ; Bingdong SUI ; Fang JIN
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):56-56
Periodontal bone defects, primarily caused by periodontitis, are highly prevalent in clinical settings and manifest as bone fenestration, dehiscence, or attachment loss, presenting a significant challenge to oral health. In regenerative medicine, harnessing developmental principles for tissue repair offers promising therapeutic potential. Of particular interest is the condensation of progenitor cells, an essential event in organogenesis that has inspired clinically effective cell aggregation approaches in dental regeneration. However, the precise cellular coordination mechanisms during condensation and regeneration remain elusive. Here, taking the tooth as a model organ, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to dissect the cellular composition and heterogeneity of human dental follicle and dental papilla, revealing a distinct Platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) population with remarkable odontogenic potential. Interestingly, a reciprocal paracrine interaction between PDGFRA+ dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) and CD31+ Endomucin+ endothelial cells (ECs) was mediated by Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and Platelet-derived growth factor subunit BB (PDGFBB). This crosstalk not only maintains the functionality of PDGFRA+ DFSCs but also drives specialized angiogenesis. In vivo periodontal bone regeneration experiments further reveal that communication between PDGFRA+ DFSC aggregates and recipient ECs is essential for effective angiogenic-osteogenic coupling and rapid tissue repair. Collectively, our results unravel the importance of MSC-EC crosstalk mediated by the VEGFA and PDGFBB-PDGFRA reciprocal signaling in orchestrating angiogenesis and osteogenesis. These findings not only establish a framework for deciphering and promoting periodontal bone regeneration in potential clinical applications but also offer insights for future therapeutic strategies in dental or broader regenerative medicine.
Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha/metabolism*
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Humans
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Neovascularization, Physiologic/physiology*
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Dental Sac/cytology*
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Single-Cell Analysis
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Transcriptome
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Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism*
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Bone Regeneration
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Animals
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Dental Papilla/cytology*
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Periodontium/physiology*
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Stem Cells/metabolism*
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Regeneration
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Angiogenesis
2.Development of therapeutic cancer vaccines based on cancer immunity cycle.
Jing ZHANG ; Yiyuan ZHENG ; Lili XU ; Jing GAO ; Ziqi OU ; Mingzhao ZHU ; Wenjun WANG
Frontiers of Medicine 2025;19(4):553-599
Therapeutic cancer vaccines have experienced a resurgence over the past ten years. Cancer vaccines are typically designed to enhance specific stages of the cancer-immunity cycle, primarily by activating the immune system to promote tumor regression and overcome immune resistance. In this review, we summarize the significant recent advancements in cancer immunotherapy based on the cancer-immunity cycle, including the effector cell function, infiltration, initiation, and exhaustion. We summarize the identification of tumor antigens and their delivery through cancer vaccines. We discuss how specific stages of the cancer-immunity cycle have been leveraged to augment anti-tumor immune responses and improve vaccine efficacy. Additionally, the impact of aging and myelosuppression, two prevalent forms of immunological stress, on the effectiveness of therapeutic cancer vaccines is deliberated. Finally, we summarize the current status of various therapeutic cancer vaccines at different clinical trial phases.
Humans
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Cancer Vaccines/therapeutic use*
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Neoplasms/therapy*
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Immunotherapy/methods*
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Antigens, Neoplasm/immunology*
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Animals
3.Exploring the role of methylation-driven gene IFFO1 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma diagnosis,prognosis and cellular functions
Ziqi XU ; Ruizhi HU ; Junjian LI ; Hongxia WANG ; Youzhou SANG
China Oncology 2024;34(11):998-1010
Background and purpose:Abnormal DNA methylation is closely associated with the onset and progression of tumors.This study aimed to investigate the expression of intermediate filament family orphan 1(IFFO1),a methylation-driven gene(MDG)in pancreatic adenocarcinoma(PAAD),along with its effects on the invasion and metastasis of PAAD cells,as well as its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.Methods:mRNA expression data(TCGA-PAAD-mRNA),DNA methylation data(TCGA-PAAD-meth,GSE53051,PACA-AU)of PAAD and adjacent normal tissues,as well as DNA methylation data of healthy individuals'blood(GSE69270),were obtained from the The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA),International Cancer Genome Consortium(ICGC)and Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)databases.By performing differential expression analysis combined with differential methylation analysis,we screened for MDG in PAAD.In the TCGA database,Pearson correlation tests were employed to verify the relationship between IFFO1 promoter methylation level and its expression level.Additionally,Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship among IFFO1 promoter methylation level,expression level,and the prognosis of PAAD.Pathological sections of cancer tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues from 27 PAAD patients were obtained from Shanghai General Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.All samples involved in this study were approved by the human ethics committee of Shanghai General Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine(ethics number:hospital ethics review[2017]No.53).Immunohistochemistry staining(IHC)was utilized to detect the expression of IFFO1 in cancer tissues and corresponding adjacent tissues from 27 PAAD patients.Based on the median expression level of IFFO1,patients in the TCGA database were classified into high-expression and low-expression groups.Subsequently,differential analysis,gene ontology(GO)enrichment analysis and gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)were performed.Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RTFQ-PCR)were employed to assess the expression variations of IFFO1 between the normal pancreatic ductal epithelial cell line H6C7 and the PAAD cell lines MIA PaCa2,BxPC-3,AsPC-1 and Capan-2.The impact of IFFO1 overexpression on the migration and invasion capacities of PAAD cell lines AsPC-1 and Capan-2 was evaluated using scratch and invasion assays.Additionally,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were utilized to assess the diagnostic and prognostic significance of IFFO1 methylation levels in the TCGA pan-cancer cohort.Results:Through the cross-screening of five datasets,41 MDG in PAAD were identified.Among these,IFFO1 was found to be the gene most closely associated with the prognosis of PAAD[hazard ratio(HR)=0.28,P<0.001].IFFO1 exhibited high methylation and low expression levels in PAAD.Moreover,a significant negative correlation was observed between the methylation level of its promoter and its expression level(r=-0.55,P<0.001).IHC results indicated that IFFO1 expression was significantly lower in PAAD tissues than in adjacent non-tumor tissues(P<0.05).TCGA survival analysis demonstrated that patients with high methylation or low expression of IFFO1 had poorer overall survival(P<0.05).Both GO and GSEA analyses indicated that the pathway"Negative regulation of cell migration"was enriched in patients with high IFFO1 expression.Western blot and RTFQ-PCR results demonstrated that IFFO1 expression in normal pancreatic ductal epithelial cells H6C7 was significantly higher compared with PAAD cell lines MIA PaCa2,BxPC-3,AsPC-1,and Capan-2.Overexpression of IFFO1 significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of the PAAD cell lines AsPC-1 and Capan-2.Additionally,pan-cancer analysis revealed that IFFO1 exhibited abnormal promoter methylation and low expression across various cancer types,with its methylation levels demonstrating significant diagnostic and prognostic prediction value among different tumors.Conclusion:Promoter hypermethylation results in decreased expression of IFFO1 in PAAD.IFFO1 may suppress the invasion and migration abilities of PAAD cells.Furthermore,IFFO1 methylation holds great promise as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of PAAD.
4.Research progress in associations between dental caries and systemic diseases
Xinhuan WANG ; Ziqi XU ; Zhuan BIAN ; Liuyan MENG
Chinese Journal of Stomatology 2024;59(1):99-104
Dental caries is a bacteria-mediated, multifactorial, chronic progressive disease that results in the phasic demineralization and remineralization of dental hard tissues. In recent years, amounts of studies have focused on the association between dental caries and systemic diseases. This paper reviews the researches about associations between caries and systemic diseases. An electronic search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science for articles published from 2003 to 2022 in the English language. Studies were included in the following ten categories of systemic diseases: cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, respiratory diseases, autoimmune rheumatic diseases, neurologic diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, kidney diseases, skin diseases, iron deficiency anaemia and tumors. This review discusses the relationship between dental caries and systemic diseases, as well as the potentially involved mechanisms, providing new ideas for disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies for dentists and other clinicians.
5.Establishment of MRI classification for traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head and its correlation with femoral head collapse
Zhikun ZHUANG ; Ziqi LI ; Shihua GAO ; Hanglin QIU ; Zhiqing XU ; Zhibing GONG ; Qingwen ZHANG ; Zhaoke WU ; Wei HE
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedics 2024;44(13):881-888
Objective:To establish a classification system for the repair band in the subchondral bone origination point in MRI for traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) and preliminarily explore the correlation between this classification and the progression of femoral head collapse.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 73 cases of traumatic ON-FH treated at the Quanzhou Orthopedic-traumatological hospital from January 2000 to December 2019. Among them, there were 46 males and 27 females with an average age of 34.9±8.3 years (range 19-55 years). Clinical and radiological data such as age, gender, side, fracture classification, reduction quality, JIC classification, and bone repair band (BRB) classification were recorded. The progression of traumatic ONFH was assessed using the ARCO staging system, with stages IIIA and IIIB defined as mild collapse and progressive collapse, respectively. The BRB classification was established based on MRI findings, and the inter- and intra-observer consistency of the BRB classification was analyzed using Kappa test. The correlation between the BRB classification and progressive femoral head collapse was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier survival curve and binary variable Cox regression analysis.Results:According to the BRB classification, 73 cases were divided into type 1 with superficial lesion in 38.4%, type 2 with uncertain lesion in 21.9%, and type 3 with extensive lesion in 39.7%. The inter-observer consistency Kappa value for the BRB classification was 0.798, and the intra-observer consistency Kappa value was 0.896, indicating a high level of consistency. A follow-up of 73 cases (54.8±34.9 months, range 24-165 months) showed a significant correlation between the BRB classification and ARCO staging at the last follow-up (χ 2=37.556, P<0.001), with progression to stages IIIA and IIIB as follows: type 1 had 3 and 1 cases, type 2 had 4 and 1 cases, and type 3 had 14 and 12 cases, respectively. Using the occurrence of progressive collapse (stage IIIB) as the endpoint, the risk of progression to stage IIIB for type 2 was not statistically different from type 1 [ HR=1.766, 95% CI (0.465, 6.702), P=0.403]; the risk of progression to stage IIIB for type 3 was significantly higher than for type 1 [ HR=15.126, 95% CI (4.708, 48.592), P<0.001]. Conclusion:The BRB classification is closely related to the progression of traumatic ONFH and is an independent risk factor for predicting the occurrence of progressive collapse; this classification is helpful for early diagnosis and predicting the progression of collapse and treatment plan decision-making.
6.PRMT6 promotes the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells
Yishan HAN ; Ziqi XU ; Mengyu TAO ; Guangjian FAN ; Bo YU
Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University(Medical Science) 2024;44(8):999-1010
Objective·To examine the expression level of protein arginine methyltransferase 6(PRMT6)in breast carcinoma tissues and to assess its impact on the proliferative and migratory behaviors of breast cancer cells.Methods·The PRMT6 transcriptome sequencing data between 33 tumor tissues and normal tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database was analyzed through the R language.The gene expression profile interactive analysis(GEPIA2)online database was used to analyze the difference of PRMT6 expression in normal breast tissues and breast cancer tissues.By using the immunohistochemistry(IHC)data of human normal breast tissues and breast cancer tissues from Human Protein Atlas(HPA)database to analyze the protein expression of PRMT6.IHC was used to detect the expression of PRMT6 in breast cancer tissues and paired para-tumor tissues from 27 clinical samples.After PRMT6 was knocked down with small interfering RNA(siRNA)in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells,the expression of PRMT6 was detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.The proliferation ability of breast cancer cells was measured with cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay and colony formation assay.The effect of PRMT6 on the migration ability of breast cancer cells was detected by wound healing assay and Transwell assay.By using the RNA-sequence data from GSE210948 of Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database,differentially expressed genes were analyzed in control and low expression groups of PRMT6.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analysis was performed to reveal the signaling pathways associated with PRMT6.Cell cycle analysis was detected by flow cytometry.The expressions of cyclin D1 and EMT-related proteins(E-cadherin,N-cadherin and Vimentin)were detected by Western blotting after knocking down PRMT6.Results·Bioinformatics analysis and IHC results showed that PRMT6 was highly expressed in breast cancer tissues compared with normal tissues(P=0.000)and para-tumor tissues(P=0.001).qRT-PCR and Western blotting results verified that the siRNA significantly reduced the expression level of PRMT6 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines compared with the control group(mRNA:P=0.006,P=0.004;P=0.001,P=0.043.Protein:P=0.035,P=0.001;P=0.003,P=0.002).After knocking down PRMT6,the proliferation(P=0.014,P=0.000;P=0.003,P=0.003)and migration(P=0.000,P=0.000;P=0.000,P=0.002)ability of breast cancer cells were inhibited significantly.The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the expression of PRMT6 affected the cell cycle pathway.After knocking down PRMT6,the expression of cyclin D1 decreased in protein level(P=0.021,P=0.000;P=0.034,P=0.014)and transcription level(P=0.036,P=0.001;P=0.044,P=0.000).Knock down of PRMT6 increased the number of cells in G0/G1 phase(P=0.000;P=0.003)and decreased the number of cells in G2/M phase of the cell cycle.The expression level of E-cadherin increased(P=0.002,P=0.012;P=0.043,P=0.003),while the expression levels of N-cadherin(P=0.004,P=0.041;P=0.032,P=0.034)and Vimentin(P=0.028,P=0.005;P=0.024,P=0.001)decreased in PRMT6 knockdown cells.Conclusion·PRMT6 is highly expressed in breast cancer,which can promote the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells.
7.Mechanistic study on the promotion of pancreatic cancer progression through upregulation of ZNF143 by dysregulated fatty acid metabolism
Siwei YU ; Ziqi XU ; Mengyu TAO ; Guangjian FAN
Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University(Medical Science) 2024;44(10):1255-1265
Objective·To identify key genes that may be regulated by fatty acid alteration in pancreatic cancer through tumor transcriptome screening,and to explore the expression of zinc finger protein 143(ZNF143)in pancreatic cancer and its effect on the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells.Methods·The R language was utilized to integrate transcriptome data,including the GSE164760 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database,179 pancreatic cancer tissue samples and 4 adjacent non-cancerous tissue samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database,as well as 167 normal pancreatic tissue samples from the Genotype-Tissue Expression(GTEx)database.We conducted screening and analysis of potential differential genes that may be induced by dysregulation of fatty acid metabolism in pancreatic cancer.After treating pancreatic cancer cells with palmitic acid(PA)and oleic acid(OA)for 24 hours,the mRNA levels of candidate genes were detected by qRT-PCR.According to the median expression level of the screened gene,pancreatic cancer patients in the TCGA database were divided into two groups with high and low expression of ZNF143.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway and Gene Ontology(GO)enrichment analyses were performed for the differential genes of the two groups.siRNA was used to knock down the expression of ZNF143 in pancreatic cancer cells,and the effects on cell migration and invasion were examined by wound healing assay and invasion assay.Western blotting was used to explore the impact of ZNF143 on epithelial mesenchymal transition(EMT)-related proteins and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Results·The bioinformatics database was processed to analyze key genes associated with the up-regulation of genes in lipid metabolism disorders in pancreatic cancer and liver cancer.Among them,ZNF143 was a potential gene associated with fatty acid accumulation in pancreatic cancer.In vitro experiments confirmed that the mRNA level of ZNF143 was significantly up-regulated after treating pancreatic cancer cells with palmitic acid or oleic acid.Both KEGG and GO enrichment analyses demonstrated that the differentially expressed genes associated with ZNF143 were predominantly enriched in adhesion pathways.In functional experiments,the migration and invasion abilities of pancreatic cancer cells transfected with ZNF143 siRNA were reduced,and the expression of EMT-related proteins was also decreased,potentially related to the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.Conclusion·Fatty acid accumulation up-regulates the mRNA expression of ZNF143 in pancreatic cancer cells,and ZNF143 may enhance the migration and invasion of these cells by facilitating EMT through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.
8.Medicine+information: Exploring patent applications in precision therapy in cardiac surgery
Zhengjie WANG ; Qi TONG ; Tao LI ; Nuoyangfan LEI ; Yiwen ZHANG ; Huanxu SHI ; Yiren SUN ; Jie CAI ; Ziqi YANG ; Qiyue XU ; Fan PAN ; Qijun ZHAO ; Yongjun QIAN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2023;30(09):1246-1250
Currently, in precision cardiac surgery, there are still some pressing issues that need to be addressed. For example, cardiopulmonary bypass remains a critical factor in precise surgical treatment, and many core aspects still rely on the experience and subjective judgment of cardiopulmonary bypass specialists and surgeons, lacking precise data feedback. With the increasing elderly population and rising surgical complexity, precise feedback during cardiopulmonary bypass becomes crucial for improving surgical success rates and facilitating high-complexity procedures. Overcoming these key challenges requires not only a solid medical background but also close collaboration among multiple interdisciplinary fields. Establishing a multidisciplinary team encompassing professionals from the medical, information, software, and related industries can provide high-quality solutions to these challenges. This article shows several patents from a collaborative medical and electronic information team, illustrating how to identify unresolved technical issues and find corresponding solutions in the field of precision cardiac surgery while sharing experiences in applying for invention patents.
9.Association of maternal salivary oxytocin levels with feeding patterns and depressive mood
Xiaotian ZHANG ; Yue ZHANG ; Jin SUN ; Ting ZENG ; Ziqi ZHOU ; Shifang SHEN ; Tao XU
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2023;32(8):694-699
Objective:To explore the association between different feeding patterns, emotional states, and salivary oxytocin (OT) levels during breastfeeding.Methods:From January to December 2019, 153 pairs of 3-month-old infants and their mothers were recruited from 4 maternal and child health hospitals in Chongqing, Liuzhou, Dalian and Hangzhou in China.Saliva samples were collected from the mothers at the first 5 minutes of feeding, 5 minutes during feeding, and 10 minutes after feeding.Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) was used to evaluate maternal depression.Infants were divided into exclusive breastfeeding group and artificial feeding group according to feeding patterns.ELISA of salivary oxytocin was performed by ELISA kits, and the OT levels measured at the 3 time points were converted using linear interpolation.Area under the curve with respect to ground(OTAUCG) was used to represent the total concentration of salivary OT during the mother's breastfeeding.SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Multiple linear regression analysis and two factors analysis of variance were used to explore the association between different feeding methods, emotional state and salivary oxytocin during breastfeeding.Results:The results of the two factors analysis of variance showed that the interaction between feeding pattern and mother's emotion was not significant ( F=2.440, P=0.120), the main effect of mother's emotion was not significant ( F=0.380, P=0.539), and the main effect of feeding style was significant ( F=3.350, P=0.021). The level of OTAUCG under pure breastfeeding ((151 561.47±75 738.11) pg/mL) was higher than that under artificial feeding ((122 269.03±65 029.88) pg/mL), and the difference was statistically significant ( P=0.02). There was no statistically significant difference in OTAUCG levels between mothers with normal emotions ((146 106.37±75 106.76) pg/mL) and mothers with depressed emotions ((129 079.56±67 565.87) pg/mL) ( P=0.221). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that artificial feeding had a negative predictive effect on maternal salivary OT levels compared to exclusive breastfeeding( β=-0.211, t=-2.513, P=0.013). Conclusion:Feeding pattern is a factor that affects the mother's salivary OT level, and breastfeeding can improve the mother's OT level.
10.Mechanism of Hirudo in Treatment of Stroke: A Review
Hanying XU ; Dongmei ZHANG ; Jing LU ; Yabin CUI ; Lei WU ; Zhuming CHEN ; Ziqi JIN ; Zhiguo LYU ; Peng XU ; Yibin ZHANG ; Tianye LAN ; Jian WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2023;29(18):209-217
Stroke is one of the most common cerebrovascular diseases, including hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke. From a modern medical perspective, stroke is caused by cerebrovascular damage or embolism leading to impaired blood circulation. From the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) perspective, the pathogenesis of this disease is mainly due to the disorder of Qi and blood, which ascend to the brain, causing either blood extravasation or blockage of brain collaterals. Stasis is a pathological factor that runs throughout the entire course of stroke, and the method of promoting blood circulation and resolving stasis has been a core treatment for stroke for a long time. Hirudo, as a traditional insect drug, has shown good effects in promoting blood circulation and resolving stasis. Modern pharmacological research has confirmed that Hirudo contains anticoagulant components, which provide significant advantages in dissolving thrombi in ischemic stroke and facilitating hematoma absorption in hemorrhagic stroke. Hirudo and its related preparations have been proven to exert an anti-stroke effect through anticoagulation, anti-thrombosis, and protection of vascular endothelium. As a result, they have been widely used in the treatment of stroke. This article explored the theoretical basis and research status of using Hirudo for treating stroke based on its main active components and hemostatic properties and summarized the current research status of commonly used Hirudo-based formulations and preparations, aiming to provide references for the involvement of Hirudo in stroke treatment.

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