Chronic heart failure （CHF） is the final stage of cardiovascular diseases. It is a complex syndrome， with dyspnea and edema as the main clinical manifestations， and it is characterized by complex disease conditions， difficult cure， and high mortality. Ferroptosis， a new type of programmed cell death， is different from other types of programmed cell death. Ferroptosis is iron-dependent， accompanied by lipid peroxide accumulation and mitochondrial shrinkage， becoming a hot research topic. Studies have confirmed that ferroptosis plays a key role in the occurrence and development of CHF. The regulation of ferroptosis may become a potential target for the treatment of CHF in the future. The theory of Qi deficiency and stagnation refers to the pathological state of original Qi deficiency and abnormal transportation and distribution of Qi， blood， and body fluid， which has guiding significance for revealing the pathogenesis evolution of some chronic diseases. We believe that Qi deficiency and stagnation is a summary of the pathogenesis of ferroptosis in CHF. Deficiency of Qi （heart Qi） is the root cause of CHF， and stagnation （phlegm turbidity and blood stasis） is the branch of this disease. The two influence each other in a vicious circle to promote the development of this disease. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） plays an important role in the treatment of CHF， improving the prognosis and quality of life of CHF patients. This paper explores the correlation between the theory of Qi deficiency and stagnation and the mechanism of ferroptosis in CHF. Furthermore， this paper reviews the mechanism of Chinese medicines and compound prescriptions in preventing and treating CHF by regulating ferroptosis according to the principles of replenishing Qi and dredging to remove stagnation， aiming to provide new ideas and methods for the treatment of CHF with TCM.

Objective:To screen the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)under high phosphate-induced calcification in the vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)by mRNA high-throughput sequencing technology,and to analyze the key genes and signaling pathways involved in the VSMCs calcification.Methods:The human VSMCs were divided into control group and model group.The cells in model group was exposed to the high-phosphate medium,while the cells in control group were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10%fetal bovine serum under the same conditions.The VSMCs in two groups,stably transfected,were cultured for 12 d.The morphology of the cells in two groups were observed and photographed under inverted microscope.The DEGs were selected by Hisat2 software,and Gene Ontology(GO)functional and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)signaling pathway enrichment analysis were performed by Stringtie software from three aspects,such as biological processes(BP),molecular functions(MF),and cellular components(CC).The calcification of the cells in two groups was observed by Von Kossa staining method.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)method was used to analyze the expression levels of alkaline phosphatase(ALP),bone morphogenetic protein 2(BMP2),alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),tumor protein 53(Tp53),glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),ferritin light chain 1(Ftl1),and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase D1(GPLD1)mRNA in the cells in two groups.Results:Compared with control group,there were 2 524 DEGs in the cells in model group,and there were 1 368 upregulated DEGs and 1 156 downregulated DEGs.Clustering of DEGs between the cells in two groups was distinct.The GO functional and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis results showed that the upregulated DEGs were primarily involved in regulating the microtubule cytoskeleton,cell polarity,protein localization,and cell cycle regulation among BPs;in constructing cell membrane,microtubule organization,chromosomes,and kinetochore among CCs;and functioning in phosphatidylinositol phosphate,Rho GTPase protein binding,transmembrane transport,and protein kinase regulatory activity among MFs.Downregulated DEGs were mainly involved in cytoplasmic translation,protein membrane localization,mRNA metabolism,and protein endoplasmic reticulum localization among BPs;in forming ribosome subunits,cell membrane,and autophagy among CCs;and functioning in single-stranded DNA,ribonucleoprotein complex,growth factor binding,regulating protein kinase activity,and catalytic activity among MFs.Seven signaling pathways were significantly enriched in upregulated genes,most notably in the biosynthesis of glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)anchors;whereas 18 signaling pathways were significantly enriched in the downregulated genes,most notably in ferroptosis.The RT-qPCR results showed that compared with control group,the expression levels of GPX4,Ftl1,and Tp53 mRNA in the cells in model group were significantly decreased(P<0.01),while the expression level of GPLD1 mRNA was significantly increased(P<0.01);compared with control group,the expression level of α-SMA mRNA in the cells in model group was significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the expression levels of ALP and BMP2 mRNA were significantly increased(P<0.01).Conclusion:The VSMCs underwent calcification and normal cells exhibit the DEGs.The key signaling pathways in the calcification induced by high phosphate in the VSMCs include ferroptosis and GPI anchor biosynthesis,mediated primarily through GPX4,Ftl1,Tp53,and GPLD1.

Objective To investigate the changes of sex hormones,anti-Müllerian hormone(AMH)level and ovarian ultrasound imaging parameters in women of childbearing age,so as to analyze their predictive value for premature ovarian insufficiency(POI)and establish the predictive model.Methods A total of 1 968 women of childbearing age in The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from 2018 to June 2022 were selected as research subjects.Their sex hormones and AMH levels were detected,and ultrasonographic features of the ovary were detected,including antral follicle count(AFC),ovarian volume,ovarian cortical volume,ovarian medulla volume,the total area,ovarian cortical area,and ovarian medulla area.The changes in ovarian function status at different age were analyzed,and their predictive value for POI was explored.AMH combined with ovarian ultrasound imaging parameters was used to establish a model for predicting POI.Results Among the 1 968 subjects,the prevalence rate of POI was 3.10％.The prevalence rate of POI was significantly higher in 30-39 years old group than in 20-29 years old group(P＜0.05).The serum AMH level in 30-34 years old group was significantly lower than that in 20-24 years old group and 25-29 years old group(P＜0.05),and the serum follicle stimulating hormone(FSH)and luteinizing hormone(LH)levels were significantly higher in 35-39 years old group than in 30-34 years old group(P＜0.05).The serum estradiol(E2)and AMH levels,AFC,ovarian volume,ovarian cortical volume,ovarian area,and ovarian cortical area were significantly lower than those in the 30-34 years old group(P＜0.05).The serum FSH and LH levels in POI group were significantly higher than women of the same age with normal ovarian function(P＜0.05),while the serum E2 and AMH levels were significantly lower than women of the same age with normal ovarian function(P＜0.05).The AFC,ovarian volume,ovarian cortical volume,ovarian medullary volume,ovarian area,ovarian cortical area,and ovarian medullary area in POI group were significantly lower than women of the same age with normal ovarian function(P＜0.05).The analysis results of the predictive value of hormone indicators for POI showed that AMH had the highest predictive value(AUC=0.957),followed by E2(AUC=0.840).Among the ultrasound imaging indicators,AFC had the largest predictive value(AUC=0.867),followed by ovarian cortical volume(AUC=0.835).The model established by AMH combined with ovarian ultrasound imaging parameters had a good predictive value for POI,and its sensitivity was 94.86％,specificity was 91.23％,AUC was 0.960,and the cutoff value was 12 points.Conclusion The prevalence of POI is high in women aged 30-39 years of reproductive age.The model established by AMH combined with ovarian ultrasound imaging parameters has certain predictive value for POI,especially for women in the occult stage,and thus deserves clinical attention.

BACKGROUND:A previous study by our group found that protein phosphatase 2Cm(PP2Cm)null mice developed significantly fewer symptoms of renal failure relative to wild-type mice,and thus it was speculated that PP2Cm may play an important protective role in the development of renal fibrosis,however,the molecular mechanisms remain undefined. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of the PP2Cm gene on the transcriptome of human renal tubular epithelial cells. METHODS:Cultured human renal tubular epithelial cells were transfected with the PP2Cm gene into human renal tubular epithelial cells using plasmids.The expression of PP2Cm in the cells was detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR assay and western blot assay,and subsequently,cell RNA was separately extracted for transcriptome sequencing to look for differentially expressed genes between transfected and control groups.The resulting differential genes were further subjected to GO analysis and KEGG analysis using bioinformatics methods. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:There were 796 differentially expressed genes,553 of which were downregulated genes and 243 upregulated genes,in human renal tubular epithelial cells transfected with the PP2Cm gene compared with untransfected blank cells by sequencing analysis.GO analysis results showed that the upregulated genes were significantly enriched in cellular biosynthetic processes,protein translation,intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways,and so on.The downregulated expressed genes were significantly enriched in endothelial cell proliferation,cell adhesion and other signaling pathways.KEGG analysis results showed that the significantly up-regulated genes were enriched in metabolism-related signaling pathways such as amino acid metabolism and biosynthesis.The downregulated expressed genes were significantly enriched in signaling pathways such as pantothenate and coenzyme A biosynthesis.Our results show that PP2Cm overexpression can affect a number of signaling pathways related to a range of biological processes in renal tubular epithelial cells,which may be important in metabolism-related signaling pathways such as amino acid metabolism and biosynthesis.

BACKGROUND:Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors with the worst prognosis worldwide.Its incidence rate and mortality rate have long been among the top of malignant tumors.The heterogeneity and drug resistance are among the reasons contributing to its poor prognosis.Lung cancer organoid,which is a 3D in vitro model cultured from patient-derived tumor cells recapitulating the biological characteristics of the primary tumor,can be used for various researches of lung cancer. OBJECTIVE:To review the application and research progress of lung cancer organoids in chemotherapy,targeted therapy,and immunotherapy drug sensitivity screening,analyze its limitations,aiming to provide new strategies for personalized and precision medicine of lung cancer. METHODS:The first author searched relevant articles published from 2013 to 2023 in CNKI and PubMed in July 2023.The search terms were"organoid,lung cancer organoid,lung cancer experimental model,precision medicine,drug sensitivity test,chemotherapy,targeted therapy,immunotherapy"in Chinese and English.Finally,a total of 84 articles were incorporated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with traditional lung cancer research models,which can only demonstrate two-dimensional cell activities,lack cell-to-cell interactions,and suffer from species differences,lung cancer organoids offer a diverse cell source and continuously optimized culture conditions.They can simulate cellular interactions in a three-dimensional context while retaining the biological characteristics of the original tumor.These organoids represent a promising research model with significant potential,providing a solid foundation for their use in cancer drug screening.(2)Lung cancer organoids have shown preliminary significance in guiding anticancer drug selection.Their predictive outcomes align closely with actual clinical outcomes,marking a pivotal step towards precision in lung cancer treatment.By assessing the efficacy of common chemotherapy,targeted therapy,and immunotherapy drugs,these organoids enable the customization of individualized treatment strategies,reducing unnecessary drug trials and toxic and side reaction while exploring possible alternative drugs or combination regimens for drug resistance issues so as to guide the precision treatment of rare mutated lung cancer and fill the clinical gap.A more comprehensive drug evaluation is provided by comparing the activity of different drugs.Additionally,it is essential to consider the internal heterogeneity of organoids,emphasizing the importance of multiple sampling to enhance result accuracy.(3)Lung cancer organoids have limitations in practical applications such as inconsistent success rates and purity in cultivation and the lack of vascular tissue.To address these shortcomings,improvements are needed in cultivation conditions,expedited testing processes,and the development of multi-organ systems to simulate the overall effects of drugs in multiple organs.These enhancements will contribute to a more accurate assessment of drug efficacy and toxicity,thereby enhancing the precision of lung cancer treatment.

Heart failure （HF） is a group of syndromes caused by cardiac dysfunction with impaired ventricular pumping， seriously affecting patients' health and quality of life. The pathogenesis of HF is complex， including myocardial contractility decline， myocardial fibrosis， and ventricular remodeling， and it is related to neuroendocrine regulation， inflammation， and cardiomyocyte autophagy. Autophagy is a key regulatory mechanism by which cells degrade themselves to maintain body homeostasis. In the process of HF， moderate autophagy can remove aging and damaged cardiomyocytes and maintain the balance of myocardial energy metabolism， while abnormal autophagy may lead to functional decline and pathological changes of cardiomyocytes. The adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway is one of the classical pathways regulating autophagy. This pathway can mediate the autophagy of cardiomyocytes and play a role in protecting the cardiac function and delaying HF progression. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） with a long history has a unique theoretical system and shows satisfactory therapeutic effects and wide application prospects amid the integration with modern medicine. The clinical practice of TCM has accumulated rich experience in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. A large number of studies have shown that the active components and compound prescriptions of TCM and Chinese patent medicines can mediate autophagy by regulating the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway to treat HF. This article explains the role of AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway-mediated autophagy in the treatment of HF， introduces the understanding of autophagy， AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway， and HF based on TCM theories， and reviews the research progress in the regulation of autophagy by TCM in the treatment of HF via the AMPK/mTOR pathway. This review is expected to tap the potential of TCM in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases， provide theoretical support for subsequent experimental studies， and demonstrate the advantages of TCM in clinical practice to achieve more accurate treatment.

Heart failure is a group of complex clinical syndromes that represent the final stage of cardiovascular disease development， characterized by an extremely high mortality rate. However， due to the complexity of the pathological mechanisms， an effective treatment method has not yet been found. Mitochondria are among the most critical organelles in cells， playing an essential role in energy supply and widely participating in various life activities， such as the regulation of oxidative stress and apoptosis. The normal functioning of mitochondria is crucial for maintaining the body's normal life activities. In recent years， studies have found that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with the occurrence and progression of various diseases， particularly closely related to the onset of heart failure. An imbalance in mitochondrial homeostasis is a key factor in cardiomyocyte death and the onset of heart failure. Mitochondrial autophagy， as a means of regulating mitochondrial homeostasis， is significant for the prevention and treatment of heart failure. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） therapy is a unique treatment approach in China now widely applied in clinical practice， demonstrating significant efficacy in treating heart failure， with unique advantages. Modern pharmacological research indicates that Chinese medicine monomers and compounds can target and regulate mitochondrial homeostasis in cardiomyocytes， affect mitochondrial autophagy， and protect cardiomyocytes， though the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore， this paper explored the mechanisms of the PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 （PINK1）/Parkin pathway in mitochondrial autophagy and heart failure， reviewed the effects of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitochondrial autophagy on heart failure， and discussed the therapeutic effects of PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitochondrial autophagy on heart failure in conjunction with TCM. This paper is expected to provide new ideas and methods for the prevention and treatment of heart failure from the perspective of PINK1/Parkin regulation of mitochondrial autophagy.

Objective:To investigate effect of vitexin on macrophage polarization and its impact on tumor growth in a mouse model of prostate cancer.Methods:C57BL/6J male mice were used to establish RM-1 prostate cancer xenograft model.Mice were ran-domly divided into model group,vitexin-low,medium and high doses groups(40,80,160 mg/kg),and cisplatin group as positive control.After continuous administration for 16 days,mice were euthanized and tumor mass was measured.HE staining was performed to observe tumor morphology.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect Ki67 positive rate.Flow cytometry was conducted to measure expressions of CD86+CD11b and CD206+CD11b in tumor-associated macrophages.CCK8 assay was performed to assess cytotoxic effect of vitexin on RAW264.7 macrophages to determine suitable concentrations.RT-qPCR was used to measure mRNA expressions of M2 macrophage markers,including arginase-1(ARG-1),Fizz1 and Ym1.Results:Vitexin inhibited tumor volume and weight,induced tumor tissue necrosis,suppressed Ki67 protein expression,increased expression of CD86+CD11b+M1 macrophages,and inhibited CD206+CD11b+M2 macrophage expression in mouse tumor tissues in vivo.Vitexin at concentrations of 10～20 μmol/L showed no cyto-toxicity on RAW264.7 macrophages in vitro,and promoted expression of iNOS in IL-4-induced M2 macrophages while inhibiting CD206 expression,as well as suppressed mRNA expressions of ARG-1,Fizz1 and Ym1.Conclusion:Vitexin effectively inhibits tumor growth in a mouse model of prostate cancer,possibly by regulating M2 macrophages towards an M1 phenotype and exerting immunomodulatory effects.

Objective:To characterize the histopathological subtypes and their clinicopathological parameters of gender and onset age by common, rare and sparse primary esophageal malignant tumors (PEMT).Methods:A total of 272 437 patients with PEMT were enrolled in this study, and all of the patients were received radical surgery. The clinicopathological information of the patients was obtained from the database established by the State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment from September 1973 to December 2020, which included the clinical treatment, pathological diagnosis and follow-up information of esophagus and gastric cardia cancers. All patients were diagnosed and classified by the criteria of esophageal tumor histopathological diagnosis and classification (2019) of the World Health Organization (WHO). The esophageal tumors, which were not included in the WHO classification, were analyzed separately according to the postoperative pathological diagnosis. The χ 2 test was performed by the SPSS 25.0 software on count data, and the test standard α=0.05. Results:A total of 32 histopathological types were identified in the enrolled PEMT patients, of which 10 subtypes were not included in the WHO classification. According to the frequency, PEMT were divided into common (esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, ESCC, accounting for 97.1%), rare (esophageal adenocarcinoma, EAC, accounting for 2.3%) and sparse (mainly esophageal small cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, etc., accounting for 0.6%). All the common, rare, and sparse types occurred predominantly in male patients, and the gender difference of rare type was most significant (EAC, male∶ female, 2.67∶1), followed with common type (ESCC, male∶ female, 1.78∶1) and sparse type (male∶ female, 1.71∶1). The common type (ESCC) mainly occurred in the middle thoracic segment (65.2%), while the rare type (EAC) mainly occurred in the lower thoracic segment (56.8%). Among the sparse type, malignant melanoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma were both predominantly located in the lower thoracic segment (51.7%, 66.7%), and the others were mainly in the middle thoracic segment.Conclusion:ESCC is the most common type among the 32 histopathological types of PEMT, followed by EAC as the rare type, and esophageal small cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma as the major sparse type, and all of which are mainly occur in male patients. The common type of ESCC mainly occur in the middle thoracic segment, while the rare type of EAC mainly in the lower thoracic segment. The mainly sparse type of malignant melanoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma predominately occur in the lower thoracic segment, and the remaining sparse types mainly occur in the middle thoracic segment.

Objective:To explore the dynamic changes of donor derived T cells at different time points in the aplastic anemia mouse model.Methods:The aplastic anemia mouse model was induced and then the proportion of infiltrated donor derived T cells in spleen and bone marrow, expression of activation molecular markers, cell cycle and functional subsets were measured by flow cytometry at different time points to evaluate the functional status of T cells in different periods.Results:①T cell immune-mediated aplastic anemia mouse model was successfully established by half lethal dose irradiation combined with major histocompatibility antigen (MHC) haploidentical lymph node cells infusion. ②The donor derived T cells began to infiltrate significantly in the spleen of aplastic anemia mouse from the 3rd day after transplantation and the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + gradually inverted. After the 5th day, they gradually entered the bone marrow, predominated by CD8 + cells. ③The expression peak of CD69 in donor CD4 + cells was later than that in CD8 + cells. The trend of CD25 expression in CD4 + cells was the same as that in CD8 + cells, but the expression level in CD8 + cells was higher than CD4 + cells. ④The proportion of donor CD4 + cells in S/G 2/M phase reached the peak in spleen, about 12%, within 3 days after transplantation, while a higher level in CD8 + cells, which was about 20%. And the proportion of both CD4 + and CD8 + cells in S/G 2/M phase increased again after entering bone marrow, which was continued to be higher in CD8 + cells than that in CD4 + cells after 3 days of transplantation. ⑤Immune activated T cells in the spleen rapidly differentiated into effector memory T cells (T EM) after a short central memory T cell (T CM) stage. After entering the bone marrow, some T EM differentiated into effector cells to further function. Conclusion:In the aplastic anemia mouse model, donor derived T cells activated rapidly after entering the allogenic recipient, reached its proliferation booming period and differentiated into T EM cells within 5 days. After 5 days, they began to enter the bone marrow to continue proliferate and damage hematopoiesis.