Lipotoxicity is a pivotal factor that initiates and exacerbates liver injury and is involved in the development of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, there are few reported lipotoxicity inhibitors. Here, we identified a natural anti-lipotoxicity candidate, HN-001, from the marine fungus Aspergillus sp. C1. HN-001 dose- and time- dependently reversed palmitic acid (PA)-induced hepatocyte death. This protection was associated with IRE-1α-mediated XBP-1 splicing inhibition, which resulted in suppression of XBP-1s nuclear translocation and transcriptional regulation. Knockdown of XBP-1s attenuated lipotoxicity, but no additional ameliorative effect of HN-001 on lipotoxicity was observed in XBP-1s knockdown hepatocytes. Notably, the ER stress and lipotoxicity amelioration was associated with PLA2. Both HN-001 and the PLA2 inhibitor MAFP inhibited PLA2 activity, reduced lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) level, subsequently ameliorated lipotoxicity. In contrast, overexpression of PLA2 caused exacerbation of lipotoxicity and weakened the anti-lipotoxic effects of HN-001. Additionally, HN-001 treatment suppressed the downstream pro-apoptotic JNK pathway. In vivo, chronic administration of HN-001 (i.p.) in mice alleviated all manifestations of MAFLD, including hepatic steatosis, liver injury, inflammation, and fibrogenesis. These effects were correlated with PLA2/IRE-1α/XBP-1s axis and JNK signaling suppression. These data indicate that HN-001 has therapeutic potential for MAFLD because it suppresses lipotoxicity, and provide a natural structural basis for developing anti-MAFLD candidates.

Objective:To investigate the factors influencing the right heart dysfunction in myloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) patients with BCR::ABL fusion gene-negative.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted. A total of 130 MPN patients with BCR::ABL fusion gene-negative admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected as the study objects. The general data, laboratory indexes and cardiac function parameters were collected. All patients were divided into the control group (non-right heart function injury, 96 cases) and the observation group (right heart function injury, 34 cases) according to whether there was right heart dysfunction judged by ultrasonic cardiogram. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the independent influencing factors of right heart dysfunction in MPN patients with BCR:: ABL fusion gene-negative. Taking right heart dysfunction judged by ultrasonic cardiogram as the gold standard, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn to predict right heart dysfunction according to independent influencing factors, and the diagnostic efficacy of the factors was analyzed.Results:The median age was 57 years old (range 19-76 years); among the 130 patients, 62 cases were male and 68 cases were female. There were 69 cases of primary thrombocytosis, 35 cases of polycythemia vera and 26 cases of primary myelofibrosis. The proportions of patients with age > 60 years old, hypertension, embolism history, pulmonary hypertension in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the composition of patients with gender, body mass index > 28 kg/m2, smoking, drinking, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and different pathological types between the two groups (all P > 0.05). The white blood cell count, neutrophil count, basophil count, monocyte count, red blood cell count, hematocrit (Hct), CD34+ cell count and platelet count in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in lymphocyte count, eosinophilic count, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and high sensitive C-reactive protein levels between the two groups (all P > 0.05). The cardiac ejection time in the observation group was shorter than that in the control group, but the transverse diameter of right atrium, anteroposterior diameter of right ventricle, anterior wall thickness of right ventricle, isovolumic systole time, isovolumic diastole time and right ventricular Tei index in the observation group were all higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age > 60 years (OR = 1.520, 95% CI: 1.250-1.692, P = 0.002), embolism history (OR = 1.765, 95% CI: 1.302-2.020, P = 0.001), pulmonary arterial hypertension (OR = 1.555, 95% CI: 1.303-1.702, P = 0.001), elevated Hct (OR = 1.900, 95% CI: 1.587-2.269, P = 0.002), the increased density of CD34+ cell (OR = 1.400, 95% CI: 1.158-1.630, P = 0.001), and increased Tei index of right ventricle (OR = 2.269, 95% CI: 1.700-3.568, P = 0.001) were independent risk factors of right heart dysfunction in MPN patients with BCR::ABL fusion gene-negative. ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of age > 60 years old, embolism history, pulmonary arterial hypertension, Hct, the density of CD34+ cell, and Tei index of right ventricle, in predicting right heart dysfunction in MPN patients with BCR-ABL fusion gene-negative was 0.780 (95% CI: 0.690-0.925), 0.657 (95% CI: 0.533-0.740), 0.728 (95% CI: 0.660-0.813), 0.619 (95% CI: 0.510-0.708), 0.777 (95% CI: 0.720-0.809), 0.822 (95% CI: 0.749-0.886), respectively. The area under the curve of the 6 combined items was 0.930 (95% CI: 0.850-0.987). The sensitivity and specificity were 89.69% and 96.38% respectively when the optimum critical value was reached.Conclusions:Age > 60 years old, embolism history, pulmonary arterial hypertension, elevated Hct, the increased density of CD34+ cell and increased Tei index of right ventricle are independent risk factors of right heart dysfunction in MPN patients with BCR::ABL fusion gene-negative.

Oxidative Phosphorylation ; Acetylglucosamine ; Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine/metabolism*

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect and safety of pomadomide combined with cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (PCD) in the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM).Methods:The clinical data of 20 relapsed/refractory MM patients receiving PCD regimen in the Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College from March 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed; and 29 relapsed/refractory MM patients receiving other regimens including DECP (dexamethasone+etoposide+cyclophosphamide+cisplatin, 13 cases) and VCD (bortezomib+ cyclophosphamide+ dexamethasone, 16 cases) during the same period were treated as the control group. The efficacy and adverse effects of both groups were compared after 4 cycles of treatment.Results:After 4 cycles of treatment, the overall response rate (ORR) and the clinical benefit rate (CBR) of 20 cases in PCD group was 70.0% (14/20) and 85.0% (17/20), respectively; among 20 cases, there were 5 cases of complete response (CR), 4 cases of very good partial remission (VGPR), 5 cases of partial remission (PR), 3 cases of minimal remission (MR), 2 cases of stable disease (SD), 1 case of the progression of the disease (PD). ORR and CBR of 29 cases in the control group was 41.4% (12/29) and 65.5% (19/29), respectively; among 29 cases, there were 2 cases of CR, 3 cases of VGPR, 7 cases of PR, 7 cases of MR, 5 cases of SD, 5 cases of PD. There was a statistically significant difference in ORR of both group ( χ2 = 3.89, P = 0.048), while the difference in CBR of both group was not statistically significant ( χ2 = 2.30, P = 0.129). There were 2 patients with renal impairment achieving CR in PCD group and 1 patient with renal impairment achieving CR in the control group ( P = 0.152); 1 genetically high-risk patient achieved CR in PCD group and none of patients in the control group achieved CR, and the difference was statistically significant ( P>0.05). The common hematological adverse effects of two groups were anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia; the common non-hematological adverse effects were malaise, infection and fatigue, and the differences were statistically significant (all P>0.05). The incidence of grade 3-4 infection was 25.0% (5/20) in PCD group and the disease was under the control after anti-infective therapy, and the incidence of grade 3-4 infection was 24.1% (7/29) in the control group; and the difference was not statistically significant ( P > 0.05). Conclusions:PCD regimen has good clinical efficacy and safety in treatment of relapsed/refractory MM.

Objective:To investigate the clinical significances of evaluation indexes of right heart function injury in patients with BCR-ABL-negative myroproliferative neoplasms (MPN).Methods:The clinical data of 208 patients with BCR-ABL-negative MPN diagnosed in the Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang and Jiangsu Province Hospital from January 2015 to August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including 63 cases of primary myelopathic fibrosis (PMF), 39 cases of polycytosis vera (PV) and 106 cases of essential thrombocythemia (ET). The clinical characteristics of patients and the examination results of hematological related indicators were compared among the three groups. The examination results of indexes of right heart function injury were analyzed, including echocardiography, brain natriuretic peptide, soluble growth stimulation expression gene-2 (sST-2), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), D-dimer, ferritin, β 2-microglobulin, peripheral blood WT1 gene, CD34 + cell count, etc. Results:Of the 208 patients, 109 were male and 99 were female; the median age was 62 years old (23 years old, 89 years old). The differences in levels of hemoglobin, platelet count, D-dimer, LDH and ferritin among PMF, PV and ET patients were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Color echocardiography was performed in 87 patients, including 26 cases of PMF, 19 cases of PV and 42 cases of ET. Pulmonary artery pressure increased in 69 cases (79.3%), left atrial diameter increased in 76 cases (87.3%), and diameter increased during right ventricular diastolic period in 59 cases (67.8%). There were significant differences in pulmonary artery pressure, left atrial diameter and diameter during right ventricular diastolic period among PMF, PV and ET patients (all P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that pulmonary artery pressure was positively correlated with ferritin, LDH, sST-2 and age ( r values were 0.796, 0.768, 0.915 and 0.734, all P<0.05), while it was negatively correlated with platelet count ( r = -2.330, P = 0.034). Conclusions:For BCR-ABL-negative MPN patients, the increase of pulmonary artery pressure, ferritin and LDH and the decreased platelet count and hemoglobin may increase the probability of right heart function impairment. For BCR-ABL-negative MPN patients with the higher levels of ferritin, LDH, sST-2, age, and the lower level of platelet count, the pulmonary artery pressure may be higher.

Objective:To explore the ultrasonography and classification management strategy for adult atrial septal aneurysm (ASA).Methods:Of 138 patients diagnosed with ASA by the transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), in No.83 Army Hospital and No.988 Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force from January 2015 to October 2019, 103 underwent the transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and all were examined by the right heart contrast transthoracic echocardiography (cTTE). According to the semi-quantitative method, the shunt was graded, classified, and managed through follow-up or surgical treatment.Results:In the resting state, among 138 patients, 26 cases were detected by TTE as ASA with patent foramen ovale (PFO), showing left-to-right shunt. Among 112 patients with no shunt detected by TTE, 103 cases underwent TEE, of whom 44 cases had PFO and left-to-right shunt. The detection rate of PFO shunt by TEE was significantly higher than that of TTE (42.72% vs 18.84%, P<0.001). Out of the 138 patients who underwent cTTE, 96 cases had different degrees of right-to-left shunt. According to the semi-quantitative standard, there were 15 cases of grade Ⅰ, 28 cases of grade Ⅱ, and 53 cases of grade Ⅲ. The detection rate of cTTE was significantly higher than that of TTE and TEE (69.56% vs 18.84% and 42.72%, both P<0.001). Among these 96 patients with right-to-left shunt detected by cTTE, 52 cases (54.17%) were clinically diagnosed as cryptogenic stroke, with right-to-left shunt in 6 cases of grade Ⅰ, 12 cases of grade Ⅱ, and 34 cases of grade Ⅲ. The number of new infarcts in patients with grade Ⅱ or Ⅲ shunts who received PFO closure via catheter was significantly lower than that of patients who did not receive closure therapy (0 vs 27.27%, P=0.011). Conclusion:ASA combined with PFO and right-to-left shunts were detected more frequently by ultrasonography combined with cTTE in adults, this helps to formulate a reasonable management strategy.

Objective:To investigate the changes of related indicators of right heart hypofunction in patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF).Methods:The clinical data of 55 PMF patients in the Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province and Jiangsu Province Hospital from January 2015 to August 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The differences in right heart function-related echocardiographic indexes and biochemical indexes between pre-fibrosis/early stage fibrosis patients and obvious stage fibrosis patients were compared. Single factor linear regression method was used to analyze the correlations of pulmonary artery pressure with biochemical indexes.Results:The hemoglobin level [119 g/L (47-224 g/L) vs. 78 g/L (33-182 g/L)] and platelet count [233×10 12/L (5×10 12/L-984×10 12/L) vs. 117×10 12/L (7×10 12/L-731×10 12/L)] of patients in the pre-fibrosis/early stage fibrosis group were higher than those in the obvious stage fibrosis group, and the differences were statistically significant (both P<0.05). Among 22 patients with complete results of cardiac ultrasound, 90.9% (20/22) patients had increased pulmonary artery pressure, 72.7% (16/22) patients had increased left atrial diameter, and 90.9% (20/22) patients had increased right ventricular diastolic diameter. There were no patients with abnormal ejection fraction. The pulmonary artery pressure [48 mmHg (46-90 mmHg) vs. 33 mmHg (20-50 mmHg) (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa)], left ventricular diastolic diameter [46 mm (36-50 mm) vs. 47 mm (43-53 mm)] and fractional shortening rate [38.1% (36.0%-38.9%) vs. 35.4% (32.7%-37.8%)] of patients in the pre-fibrosis/early stage fibrosis group were higher than those in the obvious stage fibrosis group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The pulmonary artery pressure of patients had positive correlations with age ( r = 0.590), serum ferritin (SF) ( r = 0.608), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ( r = 0.711) and soluble growth-stimulating expression gene 2 (ST-2) ( r = 0.580)(all P<0.05), and had negative correlation with platelet count ( r = -0.596, P = 0.003). Conclusion:PMF patients are prone to right heart hypofunction, the pulmonary artery pressure is higher in older patients and patients with high SF, LDH and ST-2 levels and low platelet count.

Objective:To improve the cognition of T-cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia (T-LGLL) combined with pure red cell aplasia (PRCA).Methods:The clinical characteristics, peripheral blood and bone marrow laboratory indicators of 14 newly diagnosed patients with T-LGLL combined with PRCA who were admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang Affiliated to Bengbu Medical College and the People's Hospital of Jiangsu Province from August 2010 to October 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Among the 14 patients, there were 7 males and 7 females, with a median age of 58.5 years (33-75 years). At the first visit, the median white blood cell count was 5.02×10 9/L [(1.45-8.49)×10 9/L], the median absolute value of neutrophils was 1.35×10 9/L [(0.43-7.16)×10 9/L], the median lymphocyte ratio was 0.49 (0.13-0.77), the median hemoglobin was 58 g/L (42-106 g/L), the median red blood cell count was 2.01×10 12/L [(0.99-3.20)×10 12/L], the median reticulocyte count percentage was 0.52 (0.14-3.02), the median platelet was 96×10 9/L [(38-281)×10 9/L], the median large granular lymphocytes accounted for 71% (32%-81%) of lymphocytes. Bone marrow aspiration showed that the median large granular lymphocytes accounted for 0.16 (0.08-0.41) of nuclear cells, and the median serum β 2 microglobulin was 4.85 mg/L (2.81-7.22 mg/L). Two patients had ASXL1 and TET2 mutations, and one of them had STAT3, EP300 and FAM46C mutations. Six patients were T cell receptor (TCR) β and γ-positive, 1 patient were TCRβ-positive, 4 patients were TCRγ-positive, 1 patient was TCRδ-positive, 1 patient was TCRβ, γ and δ-positive, and 1 patient was all negative. Eight cases received cyclosporine therapy, 6 cases were effective; 6 cases received methotrexate combined with hormone therapy, 3 cases were effective. The initial induction therapy was effective in 9 cases, 5 patients who failed in the initial treatment received salvage treatment, and 2 cases were effective. Conclusions:The laboratory characteristics of patients with T-LGLL combined with PRCA are similar to those of simple T-LGLL, anemia is a prominent manifestation accompanied by neutropenia or thrombocytopenia. The large granular lymphocytes are easily seen in peripheral blood and bone marrow, and T monoclonal rearrangement of lymphocytes is an important feature, and the patients respond well to immunosuppressive therapy.

Objective:To investigate the effect of CUEDC1 gene on the acute monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells gene expression profile.Methods:The differential expression gene bank of THP-1 cells with CUEDC1 gene interference was constructed. The differential gene expression of THP-1 cells in CUEDC1 interference group and the negative control group was compared based on RNA sequencing technology. The part of the differentially expressed genes were verified by using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the up-regulated and down-regulated genes were respectively imported into DAVID software for gene ontology (GO) function enrichment analysis.Results:The differentially expressed gene bank of THP-1 cells interfered by CUEDC1 gene was successfully constructed. A total of 161 differentially expressed genes were detected in CUEDC1 interference group and the negative control group ( P < 0.05), including 85 up-regulated genes and 76 down-regulated genes. There were 9 genes related to cell proliferation and 10 genes related to apoptosis, 2 genes related to p53 gene and 3 genes related to transcriptional regulation, 8 genes related to ubiquitin, among which SMAD5, SG15, CBLL1, FANCF and other genes were closely related to the occurrence and development of acute leukemia. Conclusion:CUEDC1 gene participates in the occurrence and development of acute monocytic leukemia by influencing the expressions of SMAD5, SG15, CBLL1, FANCF and other genes.

Objective: To investigate the expressions of tissue factor (TF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and their clinical significances. Methods: The clinical data of 80 cases of DLBCL diagnosed at the Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang from January 2010 to December 2017 were collected, and 30 cases of reactive hyperplasia of lymph node (RLN) were selected as the controls. The expressions of TF and VEGF in the two groups were detected by using immunohistochemical staining. Results: The positive rate of TF and VEGF in the DLBCL group was higher than that in the RLN group [TF: 86.3% (69/80) vs. 50.0% (15/30) ; VEGF: 90.0% (72/80) vs. 53.3% (16/30) ; both P < 0.01]. And there was a positive correlation between the expression of TF and VEGF (r = 0.704, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the positive rates of TF and VEGF among the patients with different gender, age and Hans subtypes in DLBCL group (all P > 0.05). The positive rate of TF in DLBCL patients with B symptom, increased LDH, physical status grade ≥2, and extranodal lesion number >1 was higher (all P < 0.05). The positive rate of VEGF in patients with Ann Arbor stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ, B symptom, increased LDH, and extranodal lesion number >1 was higher (all P < 0.05). The positive rate of TF in international prognostic index (IPI) high-risk group was higher than that in low-risk group (P < 0.01); the positive rate of VEGF in IPI high-risk group and middle-high-risk group was higher than that in low-risk group (all P < 0.01). The expressions of TF (r = 0.491, P < 0.01) and VEGF (r = 0.529, P < 0.01) were positively correlated with IPI. The overall survival rates of TF and VEGF low-expression group were higher than those of TF and VEGF high-expression group (both P < 0.05). Conclusion The expressions of TF and VEGF are highly expressed in DLBCL, which is associated with the IPI. It can provide a reference value in evaluating prognosis of DLBCL.