Background/Aims: Liver cirrhosis involves chronic inflammation and progressive fibrosis.Among various immune cells, CD8+ T cells are considered a major contributor to hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. However, the exact molecular pathways governing CD8+ T-cell-mediated effects in cirrhosis remain unclear. Methods: This study analyzed transcriptomic and single-cell sequencing data to elucidate CD8+ T-cell heterogeneity and implications in cirrhosis. Results: Weighted gene co-expression analysis of bulk RNA-seq data revealed an association between cirrhosis severity and activated T-cell markers like HLA and chemokine genes. Furthermore, single-cell profiling uncovered eight CD8+ T-cell subtypes, notably, effector memory (Tem) and exhausted (Tex) T cells. Tex cells, defined by PDCD1, LAG3, and CXCL13 expression, were increased in cirrhosis, while Tem cells were decreased. Lineage tracing and differential analysis highlighted CXCL13+ Tex cells as a terminal, exhausted subtype of cells with roles in PD-1 signaling, glycolysis, and T-cell regulation. CXCL13+ Tex cells displayed T-cell exhaustion markers like PDCD1, HAVCR2, TIGIT, and TNFRSF9. Functional analysis implicated potential roles of these cells in immunosuppression. Finally, a CXCL13+ Tex-cell gene signature was found that correlated with cirrhosis severity and poorer prognosis of liver cancer. Conclusions In summary, this comprehensive study defines specialized CD8+ T-cell subpopulations in cirrhosis, with CXCL13+ Tex cells displaying an exhausted phenotype associated with immune dysregulation and advanced disease. Key genes and pathways regulating these cells present potential therapeutic targets.

Background/Aims: Liver cirrhosis involves chronic inflammation and progressive fibrosis.Among various immune cells, CD8+ T cells are considered a major contributor to hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. However, the exact molecular pathways governing CD8+ T-cell-mediated effects in cirrhosis remain unclear. Methods: This study analyzed transcriptomic and single-cell sequencing data to elucidate CD8+ T-cell heterogeneity and implications in cirrhosis. Results: Weighted gene co-expression analysis of bulk RNA-seq data revealed an association between cirrhosis severity and activated T-cell markers like HLA and chemokine genes. Furthermore, single-cell profiling uncovered eight CD8+ T-cell subtypes, notably, effector memory (Tem) and exhausted (Tex) T cells. Tex cells, defined by PDCD1, LAG3, and CXCL13 expression, were increased in cirrhosis, while Tem cells were decreased. Lineage tracing and differential analysis highlighted CXCL13+ Tex cells as a terminal, exhausted subtype of cells with roles in PD-1 signaling, glycolysis, and T-cell regulation. CXCL13+ Tex cells displayed T-cell exhaustion markers like PDCD1, HAVCR2, TIGIT, and TNFRSF9. Functional analysis implicated potential roles of these cells in immunosuppression. Finally, a CXCL13+ Tex-cell gene signature was found that correlated with cirrhosis severity and poorer prognosis of liver cancer. Conclusions In summary, this comprehensive study defines specialized CD8+ T-cell subpopulations in cirrhosis, with CXCL13+ Tex cells displaying an exhausted phenotype associated with immune dysregulation and advanced disease. Key genes and pathways regulating these cells present potential therapeutic targets.

Background/Aims: Liver cirrhosis involves chronic inflammation and progressive fibrosis.Among various immune cells, CD8+ T cells are considered a major contributor to hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. However, the exact molecular pathways governing CD8+ T-cell-mediated effects in cirrhosis remain unclear. Methods: This study analyzed transcriptomic and single-cell sequencing data to elucidate CD8+ T-cell heterogeneity and implications in cirrhosis. Results: Weighted gene co-expression analysis of bulk RNA-seq data revealed an association between cirrhosis severity and activated T-cell markers like HLA and chemokine genes. Furthermore, single-cell profiling uncovered eight CD8+ T-cell subtypes, notably, effector memory (Tem) and exhausted (Tex) T cells. Tex cells, defined by PDCD1, LAG3, and CXCL13 expression, were increased in cirrhosis, while Tem cells were decreased. Lineage tracing and differential analysis highlighted CXCL13+ Tex cells as a terminal, exhausted subtype of cells with roles in PD-1 signaling, glycolysis, and T-cell regulation. CXCL13+ Tex cells displayed T-cell exhaustion markers like PDCD1, HAVCR2, TIGIT, and TNFRSF9. Functional analysis implicated potential roles of these cells in immunosuppression. Finally, a CXCL13+ Tex-cell gene signature was found that correlated with cirrhosis severity and poorer prognosis of liver cancer. Conclusions In summary, this comprehensive study defines specialized CD8+ T-cell subpopulations in cirrhosis, with CXCL13+ Tex cells displaying an exhausted phenotype associated with immune dysregulation and advanced disease. Key genes and pathways regulating these cells present potential therapeutic targets.

Background/Aims: Liver cirrhosis involves chronic inflammation and progressive fibrosis.Among various immune cells, CD8+ T cells are considered a major contributor to hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. However, the exact molecular pathways governing CD8+ T-cell-mediated effects in cirrhosis remain unclear. Methods: This study analyzed transcriptomic and single-cell sequencing data to elucidate CD8+ T-cell heterogeneity and implications in cirrhosis. Results: Weighted gene co-expression analysis of bulk RNA-seq data revealed an association between cirrhosis severity and activated T-cell markers like HLA and chemokine genes. Furthermore, single-cell profiling uncovered eight CD8+ T-cell subtypes, notably, effector memory (Tem) and exhausted (Tex) T cells. Tex cells, defined by PDCD1, LAG3, and CXCL13 expression, were increased in cirrhosis, while Tem cells were decreased. Lineage tracing and differential analysis highlighted CXCL13+ Tex cells as a terminal, exhausted subtype of cells with roles in PD-1 signaling, glycolysis, and T-cell regulation. CXCL13+ Tex cells displayed T-cell exhaustion markers like PDCD1, HAVCR2, TIGIT, and TNFRSF9. Functional analysis implicated potential roles of these cells in immunosuppression. Finally, a CXCL13+ Tex-cell gene signature was found that correlated with cirrhosis severity and poorer prognosis of liver cancer. Conclusions In summary, this comprehensive study defines specialized CD8+ T-cell subpopulations in cirrhosis, with CXCL13+ Tex cells displaying an exhausted phenotype associated with immune dysregulation and advanced disease. Key genes and pathways regulating these cells present potential therapeutic targets.

Objective To explore the effects of bronchoalveolar lavage combined with microbiological rapid on-site evaluation in potential donor lung maintenance.Methods Brain death patients who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit(ICU)of Calmette Hospital Affiliated to Kunming Medical University from September 2020 to December 2022 were selected for bronchoalveolar lavage(BAL)and(BAL)and the lavage fluid were collected for M-ROSE to compare the pathogen detection rate and initial diagnosis time.According to the positive results of the microbiological rapid on-site evaluation,patients with the brain death were treated with empirical anti-infective therapy,and the oxygenation index,chest X-ray score,and the infection index(WBC,CRP,PCT)of anti-infective treatment 48 hours were evaluated.Results 1.Comparison of the detection rate of pathogenic microorganisms:The results of M-ROSE were highly consistent with a routine microbiological smear(Kappa = 0.921,P<0.001).2.Comparison of diagnostic time:The initial diagnosis time of M-ROSE was significantly lower than routine microbiological smear time and microbial culture time(P<0.001).3.Comparison of therapeutic effects of anti-infective therapy for 48 hours:There was no significant difference in oxygenation index,white blood cells and hypersensitive C-reactive protein before and after the anti-infective treatment(P>0.05).There were significant differences in procalcitonin and chest X-ray before and after the anti-infective treatment(P<0.05).Conclusion Bronchoalveolar lavage combined with microbiological rapid on-site evaluation has the high timeliness in the diagnosis of potential donor pulmonary infection,which can provide a preliminary basis for the early anti-infective therapy of donor lung maintenance.

Objective:To investigate the correlations between expression of long noncoding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) and their functions on exosome secretion, proliferation and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:We used small interfering RNA of MALAT1 (si-MALAT1) to knockdown MALAT1 in HuH-7. At the meanwhile, cells which were transfected with si-NC were used as the negative control group. Expression of NEAT1, cell proliferation and invasion function were detected these two groups. HuH-7 cells were transfected with lentivirus NEAT1 over expressing vector (lv-NEAT1) or negative control (lv-control). Expression of exosomes secretion related genes were analyzed between lv-NEAT1 and lv-control groups. Cells of lv-NEAT1 were knockdown MALAT1 expression using si-MALAT1, which could be si-MALAT1+ lv-NEAT1 group. exosomes secretion was detected in si-NC, si-MALAT1 and si-MALAT1+ lv-NEAT1 group. We treated cells (si-MALAT1 group) with exosomes from cells with lv-NEAT1 or lv-control to divide cells as si-MALAT1+ exosomes of lv-NEAT1 cells and si-MALAT1+ exosomes of lv-control groups. Cell proliferation and invasion of cells were detected in two groups.Results:Low expression of NEAT1 were found in MALAT1 knockdown cells compared with si-NC group [(0.72±0.02) vs. (0.98±0.01), P<0.05]. Cells with MALAT1 knockdown shown diminished proliferation [(0.66±0.03) vs. (0.98±0.04), P<0.05)] and invasion [(88.33±7.26) vs. (147.70±13.62), P<0.05)]. Compared with si-NC group, CD9 and CD63 expression were decreased in exosomes of si-MALAT1 group. Compared with si-MALAT1 group, CD9 and CD63 expression was increased in exosomes of si-MALAT1+ lv-NEAT1 group. Compared with si-MALAT1+ exosomes of lv-control group, proliferation [(0.97±0.03) vs. (0.74±0.05), P<0.05)] and invasion [ (132.70±7.36) vs. (98.33±6.01), P<0.05) ] were increased in si-MALAT1+ exosomes of lv-NEAT1 group. Exosomes related genes expression including HSPA8 (5.53±0.31), SLC3A2 (0.32±0.07) and SLC7A5 (0.77±0.45) were changed in lv-NEAT1 group compared with lv-control group [(0.98±0.15), P<0.05]. Conclusion:MALAT1 induced exosomes secretion by NEAT1 and exosomes related genes regulation. This regulation might be related with increased proliferation and invasion function in HCC cells with MALAT1 and NEAT1 abnormal expression.

Objective:To investigate the related risk factors for biliary anastomotic stenosis after liver transplantation (LT) from donation after cardiac death(DCD) and therapeutic strategies.Methods:The data of 192 patients who received LT from DCD in First Hospital of Kunming from Jan 2010 to Jun 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 145 patients were enrolled, 85 males and 60 females, with average age 45 years. There was a biliary anastomotic stenosis in 8 cases and no stenosis in 137 cases. Their Chinese criterion for biliary anatomic stenosis, age, body mass index, liver fat, cold/warm ischemia time, unschedule cardiac arrest time, usage of vasopressors, high sodium in the donor were compared, and stenosis related factors were analysed by Spearman correlation analysis.Results:The stenosis was positively correlated with age ( r=0.229), body mass index ( r=0.204), lipoidosis ( r=0.239), duration of hot ischemia ( r=0.214), total duration of unplanned cardiac arrest ( r=0.401), use of booster drugs ( r=0.237), and preoperative donor hypernatremia ( r=0.557) (all P<0.05). Endoscopic biliary stent implantation is effective in the treatment of biliary anastomotic stenosis and has a high success rate. Conclusions:There are many factors related to biliary anastomotic stenosis after DCD liver transplantation, but the better donor maintenance, shorten cold/ warm ischemia time, improved anastomosis will be helpful to reduce biliary complications.As the same time, endoscopic biliary stent placement is the preferred way to treat biliary anastomotic stenosis.

Objective: To explore the relationship between serum C1q and tumor necrosis factor related protein 6(CTRP6) level and insulin resistance in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A total of 167 patients with newly diagnosed T2DM in the outpatient department of our hospital were recruited from April 2016 to March 2017 and 165 subjects with normal glucose tolerance were used as the control group. The concentrations of CTRP6, interleukin 6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were determined by ELISA. Results: Circulating CTRP6 level was significantly higher in T2DM group than that in control group [(652.54±132.57) vs (521.28±119.93)μg/L, P<0.01] after adjusting age and body mass index (BMI). Overweight/obese subjects revealed higher CTRP6 levels compared with those in lean individuals. In addition, circulating CTRP6 level was positively correlated with BMI, waist circumference, fasting plasma glucose, postprandial 2h plasma glucose, HbA_1C, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), triglyceride (TG), IL-6, MCP-1, highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and TNF-α, while it was inversely correlated with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol(P<0.01). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that TG, HOMA-IR, and IL-6 were independent factors for CTRP6 level. After adjusting for potential confounders, CTRP6 remained an independent risk factor for T2DM. Trend test showed that the increase in CTRP6 level was significantly linear with the occurrence of T2DM. The analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves revealed that the area under the curve for circulating CTRP6 to predict T2DM was 0.730. Conclusions CTRP6 may be associated with insulin resistance.

Objective To explore the skills and summarize the experience in the establishment of orthotopic liver transplantation rat models from donation after cardiac death (DCD). Methods According to the time of warm ischemia, 120 rats were divided into 3 groups: group A (warm ischemia for 0 min, n=40 pairs), group B (warm ischemia for 10 min, n=40 pairs) and group C (warm ischemia for 20 min, n=40 pairs). Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed by the modified two-cuff technique in 3 groups. The time of each stage of surgery was recorded in 3 groups. The survival rate at the end of surgery, 24 h, 72 h and 7 d after surgery was recorded in 3 groups. The dead rats were immediately subject to anatomical examination to identify the cause of death. Results The cold ischemia time of donor liver, anhepatic phase and operation time of the recipients did not significantly differ among three groups (all P>0.05). In groups A, B and C, the survival rate at the end of surgery was 97%, 97%, and 100% respectively. The survival rate at postoperative 24 h was 92%, 90% and 92% respectively. The survival rate at postoperative 72 h was 90%, 80% and 77% respectively. The survival rate at postoperative 7 d was 85%, 70% and 57% respectively. The survival rate at the end of surgery, postoperative 24 h and 72 h did not significantly differ among 3 groups (all P>0.05). At postoperative 7 d, the survival rate in group C was significantly lower than that in group A (P<0.05). Surgical operation was the major cause of intraoperative and postoperative 24 h death. Bile leakage and ischemic hepatic failure were the causes of death at postoperative 72 h. Biliary duct complications were the main causes of death at postoperative 7 d. The quantity of rats developing with biliary duct complications was increased along with the prolongation of warm ischemic time. Conclusions The success of stable establishment of rat models with orthotopic liver transplantation from DCD depends upon the protection of the liver and biliary function. The difficulty lies in the anastomosis of the suprahepatic inferior vena cava and the shortening of anhepatic phase.

Objective To investigate the effect of CaMK Ⅱ expression on apoptosis of rat hepatocytes BRL-3A.Methods Rat BRL-3A cells were stable passage were cultured.The CaMK Ⅱ γ protein (LV-CaMK Ⅱ γ group) and CaMK Ⅱ γshRNA (shRNA group) lentiviral expression systems were constructed.The corresponding blank vectors (LV-NC group and shRNA-NC group) and normal saline (CON group) were perfused into the control groups.The expression levels of CaMK Ⅱ,Cyt C and MF proteins were detected by Western blotting,and the apoptosis rate of BRL-3A cells was measured by Tunel method.Results The protein expression of CaMK Ⅱ,Cyt C and AIF in LV-CaMK Ⅱ γ group was significantly higher than that in CON group (P＜0.05).The protein expression of CaMK Ⅱ,Cyt C and AIF in shRNA group was significantly lower than that in CON group (P＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference among CON group,LV-NC group and shRNA-NC group (P＞0.05).At the same time point,the apoptosis rate of hepatocytes in LV-CaMK Ⅱ γ group was significantly higher than that in CON group (P＜0.05).At the same time point,the apoptosis rate of hepatocytes in shRNA group was significantly higher than in CON group (P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in the apoptosis of hepatocytes among CON group,LV-NC group and shRNA-NC group (P＞0.05).Conclusion The specific CaMK Ⅱ signaling pathway can inhibit the apoptosis of BRL-3A cells,while the enhanced CaMK Ⅱ signaling pathway promotes the apoptosis of BRL-3A cells.