1.Trajectories of body mass index for age z-score and its influencing factors among children with congenital hypothyroidism
CHENG Lingling ; YAN Yaqiong ; BAI Zenghua ; ZHANG Xiaogang ; HAO Liting ; YANG Huiying
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(8):858-863
Objective:
To analyze the trajectories of body mass index for age z-score (BAZ) and its influencing factors among children with congenital hypothyroidism (CH) based on latent class growth modeling (LCGM), so as to provide the evidence for improving treatment measures and optimizing growth management among children with CH. Methods Children with CH aged 0 to 3 years from the Newborn Disease Screening Center of Shanxi Children's Hospital (Shanxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital) between 2017 and 2022 were selected as the research subjects. Basic information, height and weight data from 3 to 36 months of age, age at treatment initiation, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels at diagnosis, and family information were retrospectively collected. BAZ for children with CH at each month of age was calculated based on the WHO Child Growth Standards. The trajectories of BAZ were analyzed using LCGM, and factors affecting the trajectories of BAZ among children with CH were analyzed using a multinomial logistic regression model.
Methods:
Children with CH aged 0 to 3 years from the Newborn Disease Screening Center of Shanxi Children's Hospital (Shanxi Maternal and Child Health Hospital) between 2017 and 2022 were selected as the research subjects. Basic information, height and weight data from 3 to 36 months of age, age at treatment initiation, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels at diagnosis, and family information were retrospectively collected. BAZ for children with CH at each month of age was calculated based on the WHO Child Growth Standards. The trajectories of BAZ were analyzed using LCGM, and factors affecting the trajectories of BAZ among children with CH were analyzed using a multinomial logistic regression model.
Results:
A total of 299 children with CH were included. There were 140 boys (46.82%) and 159 girls (53.18%). The median of BAZ was 0.50 (interquartile range, 1.68). The LCGM analysis categorized the subjects into three groups: the persistent high-growth pattern group with 24 cases (8.03%), the slow-growth pattern group with 39 cases (13.04%), and the appropriate-growth pattern group with 236 cases (78.93%). Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that compared to the children with CH in the appropriate-growth pattern group, those who started treatment at the age of 30 to 60 days (OR=0.109, 95%CI: 0.016-0.732; OR=0.166, 95%CI: 0.032-0.852) had a lower risk of persistent high-growth and slow-growth patterns; CH children with TSH levels of 50 to 150 mIU/L at diagnosis (OR=3.554, 95%CI: 1.201-10.514) and those whose paternal had a senior high school/technical secondary school education (OR=2.975, 95%CI: 1.003-8.823) exhibited a higher risk of the persistent high-growth pattern. Conversely, CH children whose paternal reproductive age was 30 to 35 years (OR=0.166, 95%CI: 0.034-0.806) had a lower risk of the persistent high-growth pattern.
Conclusions
The BAZ trajectory of children with CH aged 0 to 3 years exhibited three patterns: persistent high-growth, slow-growth, and appropriate-growth. The persistent high-growth and slow-growth patterns were associated with treatment timing, TSH levels at diagnosis, paternal reproductive age, and paternal education level. It is recommended to strengthen early treatment interventions and provide family follow-up guidance.
2.Obesity-driven oleoylcarnitine accumulation in tumor microenvironment promotes breast cancer metastasis-like phenotype.
Chao CHEN ; Hongxia ZHANG ; Lingling QI ; Haoqi LEI ; Xuefei FENG ; Yingjie CHEN ; Yuanyuan CHENG ; Defeng PANG ; Jufeng WAN ; Haiying XU ; Shifeng CAO ; Baofeng YANG ; Yan ZHANG ; Xin ZHAO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(4):1974-1990
Obesity is a significant risk factor for cancer and is associated with breast cancer metastasis. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which alterations in systemic metabolism affect tumor microenvironment (TME) and consequently influence tumor metastasis remains inadequately understood. Herein, we found that perturbations in circulating metabolites induced by obesity promote metastasis-like phenotypes in breast cancer. Oleoylcarnitine (OLCarn) concentrations were elevated in the serum of obese mice and humans. Administration of exogenous OLCarn induces metastasis-like characteristics in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, OLCarn directly interacts with the Arg176 site of adenylate cyclase 10 (ADCY10), leading to the activation of ADCY10 and enhancement of cAMP production. Mutations at Arg176 prevent OLCarn from binding to ADCY10, disrupting the ADCY10-mediated activation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway. This activation promotes transcription factor 4 (TCF4)-dependent kinesin family member C1 (KIFC1) transcription, thereby driving breast cancer metastasis. Conversely, the neutralization of both ADCY10 and KIFC1 through knockdown or pharmacological inhibition abrogates the oncogenic effects mediated by OLCarn. Hence, obesity-induced systemic environmental changes lead to the aberrant accumulation of OLCarn within the TME, making it a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for breast cancer.
3.Emd-D inhibited ovarian cancer progression via PFKFB4-dependent glycolysis and apoptosis.
Xin ZHAO ; Chao CHEN ; Xuefei FENG ; Haoqi LEI ; Lingling QI ; Hongxia ZHANG ; Haiying XU ; Jufeng WAN ; Yan ZHANG ; Baofeng YANG
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(4):431-442
Ovarian cancer poses a significant threat to women's health, necessitating effective therapeutic strategies. Emd-D, an emodin derivative, demonstrates enhanced pharmaceutical properties and bioavailability. In this study, Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) assays and Ki-67 staining revealed dose-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation by Emd-D. Migration and invasion experiments confirmed its inhibitory effects on OVHM cells, while flow cytometry analysis demonstrated Emd-D-induced apoptosis. Mechanistic investigations elucidated that Emd-D functions as an inhibitor by directly binding to the glycolysis-related enzyme PFKFB4. This was corroborated by alterations in intracellular lactate and pyruvate levels, as well as glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and hexokinase 2 (HK2) expression. PFKFB4 overexpression experiments further supported the dependence of Emd-D on PFKFB4-mediated glycolysis and SRC3/mTORC1 pathway-associated apoptosis. In vivo experiments exhibited reduced xenograft tumor sizes upon Emd-D treatment, accompanied by suppressed glycolysis and increased expression of Bax/Bcl-2 apoptotic proteins within the tumors. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate Emd-D's potential as an anti-ovarian cancer agent through inhibition of the PFKFB4-dependent glycolysis pathway and induction of apoptosis. These results provide a foundation for further exploration of Emd-D as a promising drug candidate for ovarian cancer treatment.
Female
;
Humans
;
Ovarian Neoplasms/physiopathology*
;
Phosphofructokinase-2/genetics*
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
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Glycolysis/drug effects*
;
Animals
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Cell Line, Tumor
;
Mice
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Cell Proliferation/drug effects*
;
Emodin/administration & dosage*
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Mice, Nude
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Hexokinase/metabolism*
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Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
4.Clinical study on the risk of sarcopenia in patients with advanced lung cancer undergoing anti-tumor therapy
Xiaozhen LUO ; Lingling XIE ; Xiaozhen LEI ; Lili YANG ; Xin YANG ; Yan LIAO
Chongqing Medicine 2024;53(9):1348-1352
Objective To analyze the influencing factors of sarcopenia in patients with advanced lung cancer undergoing anti-tumor therapy,and to explore the adverse effects of sarcopenia on patients with ad-vanced lung cancer undergoing anti-tumor therapy.Methods Patients with advanced lung cancer who received anti-tumor therapy in the Department of Oncology of a tertiary hospital in Chengdu from January to December 2021 were continuously included.The incidence situation of sarcopenia in patients with advanced lung cancer undergoing anti-tumor therapy was evaluated by using the 12th thoracic spine (T12) skeletal muscle index (SMI) standard.According to the diagnostic criteria of sarcopenia,the patients were divided into the sarcope-nia group and the non-sarcopenia group.Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of sarcopenia in patients with advanced lung cancer undergoing anti-tumor therapy.Results A total of 285 patients were included in this study,of which 123 cases (43.15%) were diagnosed as sarcopenia.Multiva-riate analysis showed that gender (P<0.001),pathological stage (P=0.012),creatinine (P=0.031) and BMI (P<0.001) were the influencing factors of sarcopenia in patients with advanced lung cancer undergoing anti-tumor therapy.The quality of life score of patients in the sarcopenia group was significantly lower than that in the non-sarcopenia group (P=0.035).Conclusion The incidence of sarcopenia in patients with ad-vanced lung cancer undergoing anti-tumor therapy is high,which is related to many factors and affects the quality of life.
5.Prenatal diagnosis of a fetus with mosaicism ring chromosome 2
Ying ZHOU ; Lingling XU ; Lulu YAN ; Changshui CHEN ; Haibo LI
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2024;41(11):1356-1362
Objective:To explore the genetic basis for a fetus with increased risk for Down syndrome and cardiac anomalies discovered by prenatal ultrasonography.Methods:A pregnant woman presented at the Women and Children′s Hospital of Ningbo University on August 21, 2023 were selected as the study subject. Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Maternal peripheral blood sample was collected for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) based on fetal free DNA. Amniotic fluid sample was collected for G-banded chromosomal karyotyping analysis. Trio-whole exome sequencing (WES) was also carried out on the amniotic fluid sample and peripheral blood samples from the couple. Copy number variation (CNV) identified by the WES was validated by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR). Chromosomal karyotyping was also carried out for the couple. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Women and Children′s Hospital of Ningbo University (No. EC2020-048).Results:Ultrasound examination at 22 + 6 gestational weeks had indicated intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). The fetus was also found to have ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta and pulmonary stenosis. NIPT indicated a low risk for aneuploidy of chromosomes 13, 18 and 21. G-banding analysis revealed that the fetus had a karyotype of 45, XY, -2[5]/46, XY, r(2)(p25q37)[55]. WES has identified a deletion of approximately 1 614.28 kb in the 2p25.3 region, namely seq[hg38]del(2)(p25.3p25.3)chr2: g.10500_1624775del. The same deletion was found in neither parent, suggesting a de novo origin. qPCR results confirmed the expression of target genes in the fetal sample to be significantly reduced, whilst no similar anomaly was found in either parent. Conclusion:The mosaicism ring chromosome 2 probably underlay the IUGR and cardiovascular malformations in this fetus.
6.Professor Jiang Yuren's"Spleen Regulation Method"for the Treatment of Pediatric Spleen-Stomach Diseases:Inheritance,Innovation and Modern Interpretation
Lingling TANG ; Xia ZHAO ; Hua YAN ; Jiabao WU
Journal of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;40(10):1064-1070
Based on the physiological and pathological characteristics of"spleen is often insufficient"in Children,Professor Jiang Yuren put forward the academic view of"the health of the spleen is not replenished but regulated",and took"spleen regulation meth-od"as the first choice for the treatment of spleen-stomach diseases such as anorexia,diarrhea,infantile malnutrition,iron deficiency anemia.By systematically analyzing the academic connotation,clinical practice,inheritance and development of Professor Jiang Yuren's"spleen regulation method"and combining with the current research progress,this article interprets the internal molecular mechanism of"spleen regulation method"to provide scientific basis for further promoting the clinical application and modern research of Professor Jiang Yuren's"spleen regulation method".
7.Human ESC-derived vascular cells promote vascular regeneration in a HIF-1α dependent manner.
Jinghui LEI ; Xiaoyu JIANG ; Daoyuan HUANG ; Ying JING ; Shanshan YANG ; Lingling GENG ; Yupeng YAN ; Fangshuo ZHENG ; Fang CHENG ; Weiqi ZHANG ; Juan Carlos Izpisua BELMONTE ; Guang-Hui LIU ; Si WANG ; Jing QU
Protein & Cell 2024;15(1):36-51
Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α), a core transcription factor responding to changes in cellular oxygen levels, is closely associated with a wide range of physiological and pathological conditions. However, its differential impacts on vascular cell types and molecular programs modulating human vascular homeostasis and regeneration remain largely elusive. Here, we applied CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing of human embryonic stem cells and directed differentiation to generate HIF-1α-deficient human vascular cells including vascular endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), as a platform for discovering cell type-specific hypoxia-induced response mechanisms. Through comparative molecular profiling across cell types under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, we provide insight into the indispensable role of HIF-1α in the promotion of ischemic vascular regeneration. We found human MSCs to be the vascular cell type most susceptible to HIF-1α deficiency, and that transcriptional inactivation of ANKZF1, an effector of HIF-1α, impaired pro-angiogenic processes. Altogether, our findings deepen the understanding of HIF-1α in human angiogenesis and support further explorations of novel therapeutic strategies of vascular regeneration against ischemic damage.
Humans
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Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism*
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Endothelial Cells/metabolism*
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Transcription Factors/metabolism*
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Gene Expression Regulation
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Hypoxia/metabolism*
;
Cell Hypoxia/physiology*
8.Inhibition of Alcoholic Liver Injury by Paeonol Through Eubacterium-mediated TGR5/PKA/CREB Signaling Pathway
Luning ZHANG ; Lingling LIU ; Shengnan JIANG ; Qifeng WU ; Guiming YAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(12):78-86
ObjectiveTo investigate whether paeonol exerts a protective effect on mice with alcoholic liver injury by regulating the takeda G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5)/protein kinase A (PKA)/cAMP response binding element (CREB) signaling pathway mediated by Eubacterium. MethodC57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups: normal group, model group, paeonol group (480 mg·kg-1), antibiotic group (Abs group), and antibiotic + paeonol group. Lieber-DeCarli liquid was used to feed C57BL/6 mice on the second day of modeling for 10 days. The blood lipids, liver function, inflammatory factors, and oxidative stress levels in mice were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) and oil red O staining were used to observe the morphological changes and fat accumulation in liver tissue. 16S rDNA sequencing was used to detect the diversity of intestinal microbiota in the blank, model, and paeanol groups. Western blot was used to detect the effect of paeonol on the expression levels of protein related to the signaling pathway of atresia band protein 1 (ZO-1), Claudin-1, and TGR5/PKA/CREB in mouse ileal tissue. ResultCompared with those in the blank group, the blood lipids, liver function, oxidative stress levels, and the expression of inflammatory factors in the model group increased (P<0.01), and the liver fat vacuoles were obvious. The ileal mucosa was seriously damaged, and the protein contents of ZO-1, Claudin-1, and TGR5/PKA/CREB in the ileal tissue decreased significantly (P<0.01). The intestinal microbiota changed, and the proteobacteria phylum increased significantly. The ratio of Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes decreased. The relative abundance of Dubosiella newyorkensis, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and other genera decreased, while the relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella, Morganella, Providencia, and Proteus increased significantly. Compared with the model group, paeonol significantly reduced the blood lipids, liver function, oxidative stress levels, and expression of inflammatory factors in mice with alcohol diet-induced liver injury (P<0.05), decreased liver fat vacuoles, improved and restored the ileal intestinal barrier, and restored the normal structure of hepatocytes and ileal cells. The intestinal microbiota disorder caused by alcohol was improved, and the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Eubacterium spp. was increased. The protein expression levels of ZO-1, Claudin-1, and TGR5/PKA/CREB in ileal tissue were increased (P<0.05). ConclusionPaeonol has a protective effect on alcoholic liver injury in mice, and the mechanism of action is achieved by regulating the Eubacterium-mediated TGR5/PKA/CREB signaling pathway to ensure anti-inflammatory effect and improve the intestinal barrier.
9.Research progress on the role of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Yanxin XIAO ; Yan LIU ; Lingling XU ; Yaru ZHOU
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2024;44(2):260-264
Ferroptosis is a new type of cell death proposed in recent years,and its main characteristics are iron overload and lipid peroxidation.Ferroptosis is involved in the occurrence and development of non-alcoholic fatty liv-er disease(NAFLD).Iron overload can generate a large amount of reactive oxygen species through the Fenton reac-tion.Under the action of lipoxygenase,the unsaturated fatty acids on the liver cell membrane undergo lipid peroxi-dation,which induces liver cell death and leads to the occurrence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.Blocking ferroptosis may provide one of the therapeutic strategies to protect liver cells.
10.Herbal Textual Research on Bletillae Rhizoma in Famous Classical Formulas
Dan ZHAO ; Tao ZHOU ; Chaolei LUO ; Dewei GAN ; Lingling LIU ; Chuanzhi KANG ; Zhikun WU ; Xu LI ; Yan FU ; Guoqiong CAO ; Yongping ZHANG ; Chenghong XIAO ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(4):77-88
In order to provide basic information for the utilization and development of famous classical formulas containing Bletillae Rhizoma, this article systematically analyzes the historical evolution of the name, origin, harvesting and processing of Bletillae Rhizoma by reviewing the ancient materia medica, prescription books, medical books and modern literature. The research results showed that Baiji(白及) was the main name, some scholars took Baiji(白芨) as its main name, and there were many other names such as Baiji(白给), Baigen(白根), Baiji(白苙). The mainstream source of Bletillae Rhizoma was the tubers of Bletilla striata, and drying, large, white, solid, root-free and skin removed completely were the good quality standards. With the promotion of wild to cultivated medicinal materials, there were certain differences between their traits, and the quality evaluation indexes should be adjusted accordingly. The origin of records in the past dynasties was widely distributed, with Guizhou and Sichuan having high production and good quality in modern times. The harvesting period is mostly in spring and autumn, and harvested in autumn was better. The processing and processing technology is relatively simple, and it was used fresh or powdered in past dynasties, while it is mainly sliced for raw use in modern times. Based on the results, it is suggested that the tubers of Bletilla striata of Orchidaceae should be used in the famous classical formulas, and it should be uniformly written as Baiji(白及). And if the original formula indicates the requirement of processing, it should be operated according to the requirement, if the requirement of processing is not indicated, it can be used in raw form as medicine.


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